Romeo and Juliet
by InfallibleOptimist
Summary: Two people separated by an unrelenting war meet at a masquerade and become an unlikely couple. But when their loyalties are revealed, will they be able to overcome their circumstances? Or will the Earl and the Order keep them apart? And what will this mean for the war?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Internet! I don't have much to say here. This idea has been floating around in my head for awhile, so I thought I'd try it out. Characters might be a little OOC. I'm not quite sure. Let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own D. Gray Man**

The train whistle let out one final blow to signal its departure. Lenalee watched out the window as a conductor hung off the side of the train to signal someone in the back. The train lurched forward seconds later and she perked up. After a two hour delay, they were finally taking off. This was one mission she was excited to leave for.

Allen let out his fourth sigh in the last thirty minutes. Not that Lenalee would admit to keeping track. The boy had been like this ever since the incident at the rewinding town weeks ago. Ever since they encountered the Noah.

"Are you okay, Allen?" Lenalee already knew the answer, but she wanted to give him a chance to fess up. She possessed a subtlety that her male counterparts often lacked, and it was useful in handling these more sensitive issues. She was suddenly very grateful Kanda had already been on a mission when this one had been assigned.

"I'm fine," Allen answered with a smile that was just a little too tight. Honestly, did he really think that ever worked?

Throwing subtlety out the window, Lenalee grabbed her bag and smacked it down on Allen's head. "We already had this conversation, Allen. You need to trust your friends. That doesn't just mean when we're in battle. Tell me what's wrong."

Allen nervously mumbled his apologies as the bag slipped from his head. He ruffled his hair, flashing an apologetic grin. "I just keep thinking about her..."

So she had been right. It was about the Noah.

"It isn't right," Allen muttered. His eyes gazed out the window but were too blank to be seeing anything. "A human..."

"We'll figure it out later, alright?" Lenalee placed a tender hand on his shoulder. "We're supposed to be having fun this weekend, remember? No more exorcist stuff. Just a normal ball with normal people."

Her words seems to only make him less comfortable. He squirmed in his seat.

Lenalee smiled as an idea hit her. "Allen, do you know how to dance?"

He gave her the most miserable look imaginable. Lenalee broke out in laughter, despite herself. Once she calmed down she took his hand and pulled him off their bench.

"Come on, I'll teach you."

His cheeks flashed a ridiculous shade of red as Lenalee moved his hands to the right position.

"There's not even music," he tried to argue.

"One, two, three," Lenalee began chanting, ignoring his protest. She began to move, forcing him to go along with her. It wasn't exactly a proper waltz, what with her leading, but he was starting to pick it up after a few minutes.

"Don't look down," Lenalee reminded him with a giggle. She really should be nicer, but he was being so cute. It wasn't often Allen could be accused of such things. When he was fighting, he was fierce. When he was eating, he was a monster. And when he played poker... the boy was downright terrifying.

But this, the sweet and naive Allen, was fun to poke fun at.

Lenalee proceeded to drill him on etiquette for the ball while he twirled them around the train car. He knew essentially nothing, which confirmed her suspicion that he had no idea what he was getting himself into.

"How do you know all this stuff?" He complained.

"Books, mostly," she admitted. "Jerry taught me to dance, though. He's very light on his feet." As if to make a point, Allen accidentally stepped on her foot.

The young exorcist apologized profusely, which only made Lenalee laugh more.

"This is going to be a disaster," Allen moaned.

"It's going to be fun," Lenalee insisted. "Beside, you don't have a choice in the matter. We were invited by a very rich supporter of the Order and they want to keep the man in good favor. So you'll smile and follow all the proper etiquette until the night is over."

"Yes, ma'am," Allen said with a smirk.

Lenalee rolled her eyes and released him from his dance lesson. "I, for one, am looking forward to wearing something other than my exorcist uniform out in public. And dancing! I love dancing. And-" Lenalee finally thought of the one thing that might put Allen in a better mood. "You know, Allen, there's usually a lot of food at these sort of things."

His eyes lit up ever so slightly. "Food?"

"All you can eat," she said with a nod. "A feast fit for a king."

The boy was excited now. Lenalee suppressed another giggle, not wanting to deflate him again. She settled for a content smile. This mission was going to be fun. For one night, she wouldn't have to worry about being an exorcist.

Tyki threw himself in the arm chair outside his brother's office. He didn't have the energy to go any further, and the small waiting room was cozy enough.

That is, until Road sauntered in. She leaned across his lap to poke him on the face repeatedly.

"Why do you always look like death when you leave your brother's office?" She asked.

Tyki swatted at her hands but gave up quickly. "Because he is slowly killing me every time he opens his mouth."

"What does he want now?" Road pulled at the skin on his face, moving his mouth in random directions. She pulled both his cheeks back to make him smile and giggled at the expression.

Tyki grabbed her wrists and held her fingers a safe distance away from him. "He wants me to get married."

The girl brightened. "Oh, that sounds like fun!"

"It sounds like a waste of my time." Tyki shoved her off his lap. She hit the floor unceremoniously before jumping back up with cat like reflexes. Her elbows rested on his knees.

"But a wedding would be-"

"I just finished having this conversation," Tyki grumbled. "I'm not having it again."

Road gave her best pouting face, but that only ever worked on Sheryl and the Earl. Tyki couldn't care less if he upset his niece. Well, that wasn't entirely true, but he wasn't about to let anyone in on that secret. He'd become rather fond of the way she clung to him.

Tyki eyed the liquor cabinet across the room. He was far too sober to be talking about marriage.

"Are you supposed to be doing that?" Road asked as he pulled out the most expensive bottle he could find in the cabinet.

"If Sheryl wants to force me to attend another ball, he can at least afford to make the ordeal sufferable." He opened the bottle and took a quick swig of the amber liquid. Oh yes, that was certainly expensive.

"You pick up bad women when you're drunk," Road said with distaste.

Tyki chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Yes, but they're always very easy to get along with."

It was Road's turn to swat at his hand. "You should listen to your brother. Find a pretty woman and get married. The Earl would be happy, too."

Tyki had to take another drink to keep from saying something that would get himself in trouble. What did he care if the Earl was happy? That mad man only cared about him so long as he played the role of a good little solider.

"Shouldn't you be doing your homework?" Tyki asked, hoping to change the subject.

Road was pouting again. "Help me?"

Tyki glanced down at her. Their staring contest didn't last long before he surrendered. She jumped with glee and clung to his back yelling "piggy back!"

Tyki clenched his jaw and submitted to that as well. The first Noah was a force to be reckoned with, and he certainly didn't feel up to the task at the moment. He had to choose his battles carefully.

"Will you be at the ball?" He asked suddenly, a hint of hope in his voice. Road had a way of keeping things interesting.

"Daddy says I'm too young. You should find a pretty girl to talk to, and then marry her. I don't like the women you sneak off with, Tyki."

Tyki smirked. He had quite a reputation with the more... promiscuous women at these events. It had started out as a simple act of rebellion, but had now become a rather fun game to play. Just how many women could he steal off the dance floor in one night? Well, corsets could only come off so fast. Perhaps tonight he would break his record.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello again! Welcome to chapter two, where the fun actually starts to come in. There's dancing, some alcohol, and probably a lot of OOCness. Enjoy and review, please!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own D. Gray Man**

The clock seemed to be moving at an increasingly slow rate. The ball had only started two hours ago, and Lenalee was already wishing it were over. So much for a fun vacation.

Everything had lived up to her expectations at first. She made a grand entrance at the top of the stairs, descending with all the grace of a true aristocrat in her lavender ball gown. For a moment, everything seemed a little magical.

The grand chandeliers overhead cast glittering light across the decadence below. Lenalee had never seen so much beauty all in one place. Masterful paintings covered every inch of the ceiling and walls, separated by hand carved moldings and pillars.

Even the people looked like artwork as they flittered across the floor in choreographed movements. The girl's were dressed in every color of the rainbow, each of them paired with a man in black who escorted them around the dance floor.

But Lenalee quickly learned that looks could be deceiving. Allen and Lenalee had introduced themselves to the Minister right after arriving. He was a cold man, and he looked at the two exorcists as if he were sizing them up. Lenalee decided quickly that she didn't care for the look in his eyes. It reminded her too much Llevier.

Thankfully, the Minister was quickly swept into hosting the rest of the crowd, and the exorcists were able to join the masses.

Allen quickly got lost in the crowd by the food. Not wanting to watch Allen make a spectacle of himself, Lenalee wandered around the outskirts of the crowd.

She tried several times to join some of the small groups of girls who were all giggling and chatting with one another. What she found, though, was that they were mostly giggling and chatting about gossip. Lenalee had never cared for such things, and she didn't even know the people they were talking about. So she gave up mingling, and watched the dancers instead.

It hadn't taken long before someone approached her. He was a fairly handsome young man, and he had a warm smile and a gentle voice. Charming, Lenalee though. He was quite charming.

Oh, how wrong she had been. Every other sentence the man spoke was dripping with innuendo, and his hand managed to continually slip lower down her back no matter how many times she righted it.

The next dance partner hadn't been any better. The man didn't make any terribly wrong moves, necessarily, but he kept stepping on her dress and talking about how established his status was.

And so the cycle began. Six more dances passed, and Lenalee had yet to meet anyone even remotely interesting.

Between each dance she began looking for Allen, hoping for a reprieve from the onslaught of boring conversations and wandering hands. Unable to find him, she started asking around and found out that there was a game of poker going on in the men's lounge.

So Allen had abandoned her to a den of wolves. Great.

Lenalee quickly began developing a strategy. She wanted to avoid as many suitors as possible to save her sanity. This meant avoiding the highly populated areas. Unfortunately for her empty stomach, that included the food tables.

Even this strategy wasn't perfect, though. Lenalee found herself caught in a conversation with a man far too old for her about last year's golf tournament. The man seemed entirely too interested in staring at her breasts while he spoke, and his breath reeked of alcohol.

What happened to etiquette? Lenale wondered as she sipped at her champagne. What happened to chivalry? Where were all the decent people at this party? This wasn't how the night was supposed to be.

She wasn't naive enough to think that she would have been swept off her feet by suave aristocrat who would fall madly in love. Of course, she wouldn't complain if it were to happen. But she had at least expected to make a few friends. She always made friends! It was like breathing for her. This place seemed like a breeding ground for sharks, though.

Lenalee let out a sigh as she was asked to dance. Again. She downed the rest of her champagne and let the man pull her to the dance floor, his hand already dangerously low on her back.

Tyki leaned against one of the pillars lining the outskirts of the ballroom. The amber liquid in his glass swirled as he played with it, an indifferent expression permanently pressed onto his face.

He had finally gotten done dancing with all the women Sheryl had shoved at him. They were quiet women, respectable and polite. They were the kind of women that Sheryl would marry. And they were absolutely dull.

Tyki scanned the crowd for someone more interesting. He had yet to see anything of worth, and he had been looking for two hours now. This party was worse than most. It seemed Sheryl had intentionally not invited any of Tyki's more preferable crowd.

Then he caught sight of a lavender dress and green hair done up in curls on the dance floor. The girl's face was flushed red as she brought her foot down hard on her partner's. Now that was hardly an accident.

Tyki flashed a predatory grin as the girl stormed off the dance floor and snatched up a glass of champagne, downing it in one go.

He had finally found someone to play with.

Tyki headed straight for her as he refilled his glass with a reserve of whiskey he kept stashed in a flask in his suit. He never came to these events sober, which meant he needed a constant supply of alcohol, no thanks to the Noah gene. Regenerating bodies was a nice concept in theory, until you realized it meant your liver worked a little too well.

"You look like you could use something a bit stronger," Tyki said as he offered his glass out to the lavender girl.

She gave him such a dirty look that he had to laugh. "Don't worry," he said. "I won't ask you to dance. I wouldn't want to risk loosing my foot."

She closed her eyes in embarrassment, pinching the ridge of her nose. "I hoped no one saw that."

Tyki had to chuckle again. She did not seem like the usual crowd for these sorts of events. Not at all.

"You sure you don't want a drink?" Tyki asked.

The girl finally took his gift and smelled it tentatively. "Whisky," she said with distaste, her face scrunching up. "I hate whisky." Despite her comment, she drank half the glass, tossing it back quickly.

"Could have fooled me." Tyki pulled out his flask so he could still drink as well. "Rough night?"

"Very rough," the girl admitted. She frowned down at the rest of her whisky, swirling it absently just as Tyki had been doing moments ago. "I don't think I like balls."

"First one?"

"Yes."

Tyki noticed his eyes wandering down to her breasts. He turned to watch the crowd to keep from getting slapped by the women. She seemed like the kind to do that, considering the show she put on with her last dance partner. "Let me guess, you were expecting a magical night of dancing and intelligent conversation?"

The girl sighed. "I've been accused of being overly optimistic," she muttered before taking a more reasonable sip of her drink. This time her little nose scrunched up as it slid down her throat.

"Wealth soils the brain," Tyki said, trying not to make fun of her for the face she had made. "These sort of parties are never fun."

"You just called your own brain soiled." The girl had a small smile on her lips, and Tyki felt a surge of pride at having put it there. Oh, how he loved these little games.

"Oh, my mind is definitely soiled," Tyki admitted with a devilish smirk.

The smile on her face disappeared as she sighed. "I think I've heard enough innuendos for tonight." She downed the rest of her drink and shoved the glass back into his hands.

Tyki would not be so easily rejected, though. After a moment of stunned amusement, he passed the glass to a waitress and followed after the girl. This was going to be harder than he thought.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Away from you," she answered bluntly.

"Are you always so polite?"

The girl hesitated a moment, looking genuinely guilty. She did know he was joking, right? "It has been a very long night, sir. And I believe I've had too much to drink. You'll have to excuse me."

Tyki knew she was trying to politely send him off, but he wasn't one to give up. This was a challenge, and he'd only just begun. "Maybe some fresh air would help?" He suggested. "The gardens are just through those doors."

"And how would you know that?" She continued to walk away at a remarkably swift pace. Tyki was fast, though. He could keep up.

"My brother is the Minister," Tyki explained, testing the waters. Some girls flocked to status. He doubted the lavender girl would be one of them, but it was worth a try.

The girl stiffened at his words. He was clearly digging his own grave at this point. Tyki mentally cursed himself. He needed to change tactics.

"You know my brother?" Tyki threw out just to get her talking.

"Hardly. I've met him just tonight."

"Clearly he's made an impression. Not a fan of him?"

The girl finally came to a stop in the corner of the room, tucked away from the crowd. It was the ideal place, really. Tyki couldn't have picked a better spot to get at least a little bit of privacy.

"He has cold eyes," the girl said.

"Yes, that's his business face," Tyki explained. "Underneath that cold veneer is actually a very cuddly soul, though. He's like a cactus that wants to hug everyone. It's quite frightening, actually."

There was that smile again. She had a wonderfully innocent smile. Tyki wasn't going to let it go this time.

"My brother and I don't quite see eye to eye on most things," he continued. "He's big on extravagance and social standing."

"And you're not?" She raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. "You seem quite at home here."

"Comes from experience. I hate these sort of things. My brother forces me to come because he thinks I'll find myself a polished woman and finally get married."

The girl chuckled at him, shaking her head. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

Tyki thought on it a moment. Was ridiculous a good thing to be? He couldn't find an argument against her, either way. "Yes, I suppose."

This earned him a more genuine giggle from the lavender girl. "What's your name?" She asked.

He was in. Tyki tried to keep his smile from giving him away. He knew this game inside and out. When a girl was interested, she asked questions. Now he just had to not screw it up. "Tyki. And yours?"

"Lenalee." Lenalee the lavender girl... she sounded like a fairytale character. Looked like one to. Tyki shook the thought away.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lenalee." Tyki stuck out his hand and waited patiently for her to decide to give hers over. When she did, he placed a kiss over her glove. "How was that for chivalry?" He asked with cocky grin once he released her.

Her smile tightened as she tried not to laugh.

"I'm going through all this work to entertain you, Lenalee. The least you could do is laugh at my jokes."

"You're going through all this work in hopes that by the end of the night I'll be drunk and charmed enough to get into bed with you," she said, her eyes practically daring him to argue.

Well that was certainly unexpected.

Tyki was enjoying himself too much to be disappointed that he was apparently off his game tonight. This girl was different. Smart. Witty. Blunt (though that may just be the alcohol).

Even if he gained nothing out of this chase, even if he lose, Tyki wasn't so sure he cared. The thought was a bit jarring, but he didn't try to deny it. The girl was simply entertaining.

"Come with me to the gardens," he said. She crossed her arms and gave him a look. "I'm not trying to lure you away to have sex with you. Not yet, at least. But I want to smoke, and I get the feeling that if I take my eyes off you for two seconds I won't be able to find you again."

"You smoke."

"Yes?" Tyki wondered if that would be a problem. He had been told several times at family dinners that it was a terribly disreputable habit, but it he wasn't in the business of denying himself things he wanted.

"You do know I'm not having sex with you tonight," Lenalee said.

Tyki's smile widened. "Tonight is technically over in half an hour. This lot isn't going anywhere till about three in the morning. That gives me three and a half hours to change your mind."

"You're ridiculous."

She was just about to take the bait. He could feel it in his bones. "Yes, but I'm deviously entertaining. Which is why you're going to come with me."

"Oh?"

"Or I could leave you, and Mr. Johnson can come over here to keep you company while I'm gone." Tyki nodded to the middle aged man who had been staring at Lenalee's breasts since they had walked over to their little corner of the ballroom.

Lenalee caught sight of the man and growled something incoherent under her breath, which only made Tyki smile more. God. He needed to stop doing that. His face muscles were starting to hurt. It was this stupid ball. Being charming and socially acceptable was exhausting.

Oh well. A cigarette, or three, would help him relax.

"Lets go," Lenalee begrudgingly agreed.

Tyki held out his arm and she looped hers around it. He very politely guided her to the garden. The game wasn't lost yet. He wasn't joking when he said he had three hours to win her over. His odds weren't great, he had to admit, but when did that ever stop the Noah of Pleasure?


	3. Chapter 3

**Round three has arrived. I wrote and rewrote this chapter a few times but decided it's way too early in this story to be stuck. I'm not totally pleased with it, but it's done. R &R! And enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray Man**

Watching Tyki in the garden was like watching a completely different man. Lenalee marveled at the way he changed. He had grown quiet, almost contemplative as he smoked cigarette after cigarette in the brisk night air.

It was dark outside, especially compared to the brilliance of the ball just moments ago. Lenalee sat on a bench in the gardens while Tyki stood a few feet away. The moon was covered by clouds and only small lanterns along the stone pathways lit the area. They cast strange shadows across the courtyard.

The cigarette in Tyki's mouth glowed orange through the smokey air around him. This man seemed shrouded by the very air around him, but she felt she was seeing a more honest representation of him than before. He looked far more himself now than he did when he chased after her inside. But she really couldn't be sure, could she? Just how well could she claim to know a man she had only met moments ago?

"Enjoying the view?" He asked, pulling Lenalee from her contemplation. She jumped and looked away quickly, embarrassed that she had been caught staring.

"Don't the men usually got to the lounge to smoke?" She asked.

Tyki cleared his throat. "Yes, well, my brother has forbidden me to go there. He claims I have a gambling problem."

"You disagree?"

"It's only a problem if I loose. Which I don't."

Lenalee couldn't help her giggle. He sounded so much like Allen. The two of them would probably enjoy trying to cheat each other out of their money.

"So what do you do for a living?" Lenalee asked. "If you're not a fan of your brother's lifestyle, I'm assuming you're not a politician."

Tyki was silent a moment. Lenalee wondered if he planned to simply not answer. When he did, she wasn't sure she believed him. "I'm a migrant worker. Laborer. Right now I live in a one bedroom house with three roommates. We work in a nearby mine."

Lenalee could find no lie in his voice or his face. "By choice?"

Tyki let out a cold sort of chuckle. "Yes."

Lenalee smiled at him as she crossed her arms. "I was right about you being ridiculous."

"What about you?" He asked. He finished off his cigarette and stamped it out on the ground. "You don't act like a professional aristocrat."

"I'm not." Lenalee had no intention of telling him she was an exorcist. Tonight, she was just Lenalee. Just this once.

He seemed amused by her refusal to answer. "Well, how did you get invited to my brother's party if you only just met him?"

"We're business associates."

Tyki stepped closer, a smile on his lips. It was a dark looking thing, but Lenalee told herself it was just the lighting.

"Is there a question I could ask that would get me a straight answer?" He asked.

"Maybe," Lenalee answered with a coy smile.

She really didn't know what had gotten into her. Flirting had never been an activity she had a chance to participate in. Most of the males she encountered worked for her brother, which meant they were putting their lives at risk for even looking at her the wrong way.

Was flirting always this fun?

"Alright, here's a question for you," Tyki started. He sat down on the bench and crossed his legs. "My brother had me dance with every available and socially acceptable woman at this party. Why didn't he have me dance with you?"

Lenalee's smile widened as the most likely answer popped into her head. "Probably because he knows my brother."

"You have a brother?"

"Yes."

"And why would that keep you off the market?"

Lenalee let out a sigh. "My brother is a bit... over protective. He's gone on homicidal rages before just because someone joked about liking me. If your brother tried to set me up with someone, my brother would probably try to kill him."

"I would like to see him try. So, tell me about this brother of yours. You're close?"

"Very." Lenalee felt herself relax into a comfortable conversation at last. She had no qualms talking about her brother and how much she loved him, despite how annoying he could be.

"You're brother sounds terrifyingly similar to mine," Tyki said. "He's far too invested in my life, very touchy-feely. More than a bit sadistic."

"We should lock them in a room together," Lenalee suggested. "See what happens."

"I fear for the fate of the planet if they make friends with one another."

"Oh, all I would have to do is tell brother that the minister tried to grope me or something. Their friendship would crumble to pieces instantly."

The two of them shared a laugh. A soft kind of silence fell over them, and Lenalee didn't want it to break. She looked down as she realized he was holding her hand. When had that happened?

A breeze came through the courtyard and Lenalee also realized that the warm buzz she had gained from the alcohol was wearing off. How long had they been out here? She leaned into Tyki, telling herself it was just because he was warm. She knew it was a feeble lie, at best.

"We could go back inside if your cold," he said, though he didn't sound like he was a fan of the idea.

"There are people inside," Lenalee said.

He chuckled at her. "Yes, that's a true statement."

"I like it better out here."

Tyki slowly put his arm around her, a tentative and questioning look in his eyes as he did so.

"I'm not going to break your arm off," Lenalee told him with a giggle.

"Well, I can never know for sure. That poor old man is probably going to have to amputate his foot after you stomped on it."

Lenalee hid her face in her hands. "I really shouldn't have done that. But he did deserve it." She shot yo to give him a determine look.

"I'm just picking on you, you know," he said. "I don't think you're actually capable of intentionally hurting someone. You and your optimism. You're all rainbows and sunshine."

"You have no idea..." Lenalee traced circles on the back of the hand that held hers. His hands were rougher than she expected, a testament to the truth of his profession. These were definitely a miner's hands. "Do you read, Tyki?"

"I use to."

"You stopped?"

"This reality became a bit too much for me. I don't have time for other ones anymore."

"The busy life of a miner?" Lenalee put aside her curiosity of what exactly he meant about his reality. She got the feeling he didn't want to talk about it. What right did she had to press him on the matter when she refused to even tell him what she did for a living? "What did you like to read?"

"I'm a fan of Shakespeare's tragedies."

Lenalee laughed at that. "Of course you are. The rebellious bachelor playboy with commitment issues and a depressing world view likes plays where everyone dies in the end. Who would have guessed it?"

"I'm sensing a very hostile environment, here," Tyki joked. "And when did I get labeled as a rebellious bachelor playboy with commitment issues?"

Lenalee ignored his complaint. "What's your favorite play?"

"Hamlet."

"To be or not to be," Lenalee recited with a content smile. "I do love the word play in Hamlet. Still, not a fan of the way everyone dies at the end."

"What are men like I to do, crawling between heaven and earth?" Tyki quoted.

Lenalee rested her head on his shoulder. "That's one of my favorite lines, you know."

"I find that surprising," Tyki admitted.

"Maybe not as rainbow and sunshine filled as you think," Lenalee contested. "What's your least favorite Shakespeare play?"

Tyki was quick to answer. "Romeo and Juliet."

"Why am I not surprised?" Lenalee shook her head at him.

"The play is a joke. Romeo and Juliet weren't in love. They were young and stupid, and people died because of it. It's more a comedy than a tragedy."

"Hmm. Interesting perspective."

"Don't tell me you believe in love at first sight." She could hear the implied eye roll.

Lenalee thought it over. "No," she agreed. "No, I guess not. But I like to think that when you meet the right person, at some point it all just clicks. And you know that's the person you're supposed to fall in love with. It's a nice idea."

"It's a fairy tale."

"Well, we can't all be cynics," Lenalee insisted. "Someone has to believe in love."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"Cynic."

"Dreamer."

Lenalee closed her eyes, snuggling a little closer to him.

She was perfect. Tyki rolled the thought around in his head as they talked. She was absolutely perfect.

How was that possible?

She was smart and funny and beautiful and refused to let any of his usual crap slide. She asked hard questions, too. She wasn't afraid of them, or him. She was just... herself.

Lenalee.

As the conversation lulled into a comfortable silence, Tyki came to a startling realization. He had stopped trying to seduce her. They had been outside for nearly two hours now and he didn't even care that she would refuse him. He was...

Holy crap. He was hooked. How had that happened? How had any of this happened? It didn't make any sense. But one thing was clear. He couldn't let tonight be goodbye.

"Are you going home tomorrow?" He asked.

"Yes. I have to get back to work."

"Can I write you?" What was he doing? Tyki Mikk doesn't write people. He doesn't even write his brother!

"I would love that."

He tried not to match her smile but found it impossible. His face moved steadily closer to hers before he stopped abruptly. Would she let him kiss her? He really didn't feel like getting slapped...

"Are you going to kiss me?" She asked, her voice soft and timid.

So much for being smooth. He swallowed over the lump that was beginning to form in his throat. Why was he nervous? He'd kissed dozens of women. Why did this feel different?

"Are you going to let me?" he asked.

"Maybe."

Whatever reserve he had held back was let loose. Who cared what Tyki Mikk would usually do? This girl was different and there was no point in wondering why. She just was. She deserved better than his usual. And she was going to get it.

He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers in the most chaste kiss he could ever remember having. His hands floated up to hold her face.

It was over entirely too fast.

His lips continued to hover over hers as he debated kissing her a second time.

"That was my first kiss," Lenalee breathed out.

He would have laughed if she didn't say it with such sincerity. "How can someone as gorgeous as you go this long without being kissed?"

"Remember the over protective brother?"

"If a man is cowardly enough to let that stop him, he doesn't deserve to kiss you."

"You haven't met my brother."

Tyki finally kissed her again. "Maybe we should fix that."

He knew what he was saying. He knew the implications. He just couldn't help it. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to talk to her. To be with her. She was something precious.

One day he would have to learn to stop acting on his emotions.

"You..." she seemed as surprised by his statement as he was.

He opened his mouth to say something else, unsure of what exactly was going to come out, when he was interrupted. The explosion seemed to come out of nowhere, but Tyki's reflexes were quick. He pulled Lenalee off the bench as it splintered into pieces.

Lenalee and Tyki both spun around to face the new threat. Akuma. How was that possible?

"Leave!" Tyki ordered the killing machines. Was this his brother's doing? Akuma knew better than to attack this place. What was Sheryl planning?

Tyki turned around, opening his mouth to ask Lenalee if she was okay. He never got the words out, though. He was too busy staring at a familiar green glow that emanated from her feet.

Innocence.

Anger bubbled up inside him from a place that wasn't fully himself. He knew that if he let it grow he would do things he'd regret later. Now wasn't the time to be a Noah. He didn't want to hate her. He didn't want to fight.

"Noah." The accusation slipped out of her throat as she took a step back.

She was prepared for an attack.

Tyki clenched his hands into tight fists. He needed to calm down. But the look of hurt and fear on her face nearly crushed his resolve. It was too easy to bury himself in this hate. He didn't understand the other feelings, the pain in his chest and the sinking sensation dragging him down. Anger was at least familiar.

"Get out," he snarled at her. Please, he added in his thoughts. He didn't want to fight her. Not right now. He knew it was inevitable, but his mind was still reeling from the revelation.

Why wasn't she leaving?

"Go!" He yelled.

The girl flinched back, and the action seemed to shake her from her terror. She leapt into the air, landing on the roof and running off after the akuma he had sent away.

Tyki stared at the now empty space. What was he supposed to do now?

It all made sense, really. The night had gone too well. She was too perfect. He had been too happy.

Nothing in his life ever came together so well. There was always something. Some little thing had to be wrong. At least now he knew.

She was an exorcist.

Tyki's attention was brought back to the pain in his chest. He didn't know what it meant, but he knew what had caused it. The perfect girl wasn't perfect. She was an exorcist.

The truth if it took some getting use to. How could he not have seen it? How could he have been so stupid?

He stumbled over to the doors that led back to the ball. He couldn't seem to force himself back to the crowds, though.

Why did she have to be an exorcist? He could handle anything but this. He could work around a husband or an over protective brother or a secret job. But there would be no sneaking around with an exorcist. If the Noah inside him didn't take over and destroy her innocence, the Earl would eventually find out and order him to do it anyway.

This situation was a dead end.

Tyki wanted to punch something when he realized that at some point he had started thinking of Lenalee as some integral part of his future. It shouldn't matter that she was an exorcist. He had only meant to spend one night with her. Where exactly had he been wanting their relationship to go?

Tyki moved away from the door. He needed a better distraction than the ball would provide. And he needed more alcohol. But first, he needed to talk to Sheryl. Alone. Maybe things would make more sense if he knew why there were exorcists and akuma invited to this little party.

Much to Tyki's surprise, Sheryl's office was not empty. He heard the argument from down the hall, and began to second guess his decision to come and talk.

Road and Sheryl weren't pleasant when they fought. It was a rare occurrence, as Sheryl tended to melt the second Road looked at him with puppy dog eyes. Apparently he wasn't bending this time, though.

By the time Tyki made it to the office door it was opening. Road barely even acknowledged his presence as she pushed by him to storm down the hallway. It never got old, seeing the first Noah throwing childish temper tantrums.

Tyki cautiously stepped into the office. Sheryl sat at his desk, looking as if nothing had been happening, a drink in his hand. Tyki knew better than that, though. Sheryl only ever looked this serious when he was working or upset.

"Everything alright?" Tyki asked against his better judgement.

"Allen Walker needs to die."

That name sounded familiar. "The cursed exorcist Road's obsessed with?"

Sheryl's grunt of acknowledgement was enough for Tyki to put the pieces together. The exorcists. The akuma. Road's tantrum.

"You invited him here so you could kill him?" Tyki asked, already knowing the answer. This whole ordeal could have been avoided if Sheryl had just told him. He never would have let his mind wander as far as it had with he girl if he had known from the beginning who she was.

"I underestimated him."

Tyki smirked, despite himself. It wasn't often Sheryl was bested. Of course, if he hadn't been worried about drawing attention from the ball Sheryl most likely would have succeeded in killing the boy. Still, Tyki would tuck this away in his memory to torment his brother with later.

"Goodnight, Sheryl," Tyki said, waving over his shoulder as he left. His questions had been answered. There was no need to stick around and listen to Sheryl plot Allen Walker's murder. Though, Tyki did feel a bit sorry for the poor kid.

"Wait!" Sheryl perked up. "Did you find yourself a girl tonight?"

"No one you would approve of," Tyki answered honestly, still walking away.

"Tyki." The tone made him stop. There were not many things that truly frightened Tyki, but his brother could summon the emotion when he truly wanted to.

"I went out of my way to make sure there wasn't even a chance of you getting into trouble tonight. Please tell me you didn't disgrace any of the very respectable women that were-"

"I didn't have sex with anyone," Tyki answered lazily. "Alright?"

"You disappeared, though."

"I went out for a smoke," he said. "Didn't feel the need to come back in."

"You're hiding something." Sheryl broke into a bone chilling grin. "There was a girl, wasn't there?" Sheryl took Tyki's silence as confirmation. "Tyki's finally found a girl!"

Tyki stuck a hand out before Sheryl could murder him with a hug. There was no point in keeping secrets now, he supposed. Sheryl would never let the subject go unless he was told something.

"Don't get too excited, Sheryl. It's not going to go anywhere."

"Do you ever stop mopping? Cheer up, Tyki! Tell me about this girl you apparently don't hate. Honestly, I was beginning to give up hope. Road has been telling me for months that you're gay-"

"She what?" Tyki glared at his brother. He let out a frustrated sigh, shaking away thoughts of a conversation he now needed to have with his niece. Gay! "Never mind. And I'm not moping." Tyki knew it was a lie. The tight knot that had made its way into his chest since he found out about Lenalee was proof enough. He felt an abundance of self pity.

"Tell me about the girl!"

Tyki took a deep breath. Might as well start with the worst of it. "She's an exorcist."

Tyki would have laughed at the look of disbelief on Sheryl's face, if it weren't like a knife to the gut. He had never had any sort of real feelings for a girl. And now this. The first time he actually has an interest, and its with an exorcist.

"The one Allen came with?"

"Yes," Tyki admitted. "Lenalee..."

"Well..." At a loss for the words, Sheryl walked back to his desk and sat down. A few seconds of silence passed and he pulled out a second glass from his desk. "You need a drink," he decided, filling the glass to the brim.

Tyki gave a humorless smile and sat down across from his brother, the glass in hand.

"Why her?" Sheryl asked. "All the women I've presented you with over the years. Why now?"

Tyki stared at the amber liquid in front of him. "She was interesting," Tyki answered. "There was just... something there."

"There are plenty of interesting women out there," Sheryl insisted. "Ones that won't try to kill you in battle."

"It was more than that," Tyki continued. "When we started talking, it was like... do you remember that place we use to go when we were kids? The stream down in the woods, where we would hang out?"

"That was a very long time ago, Tyki."

"Well, it felt like that," Tyki said. "Like nothing else existed for a little bit, and it didn't matter."

"Until she finds out who you are and tried to kill you."

"She already knows. She ran off after that... Maybe I'm just a masochist."

"We already knew that about you."

Silence fell over them again.

"Tyki. You're not planning on seeing her again, are you?"

Tyki emptied his glass in one go. He slapped it down on the desk and motioned for more.

Sheryl began to fill the glass again, a rare kind of worry in his eyes.

"Tyki?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! Sorry it took me a bit longer to update. I do have some semblance of a life, so I was busy living it. My goal is to write at least a chapter a week until the story is finished.**

 **Anyway, please review and follow! I love feedback. What do you think of the pairing? Am I straying from the character's personalities too much? Let me know!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray Man :(**

Allen was only a little battered by the time the fight ended. Lenalee didn't know what she would have done if he had gotten hurt while she was off gallivanting with a Noah. It was okay, though. Allen was okay.

They left the mansion as soon as the akuma were taken care of. Neither of them were in much of a partying mood, and Allen needed some basic first aid. Lenalee patched him up at the inn while they waited for the chef to whip up their late dinners. After activating his innocence, Allen needed a decent sized mountain of food. While Lenalee didn't feel much like eating, she knew she should.

Lenalee also knew she was being uncharacteristically quiet as they sat in the dinning room alone. She wasn't blind to Allen's questioning and worried glances, but she didn't have the energy to put up an act.

Tyki was a Noah. That word was quickly becoming one of her least favorites, right under Millennium Earl and akuma. _Noah_. Monster. Enemy. Murderer. Friend of the Earl. How could she have been so reckless? It wasn't as if she hadn't noticed something off about the man. He was dark and mysterious and he practically screamed trouble right from the start. Yet she had ignored it all. Why?

The answer was obvious. Underneath the rebellious bachelor playboy act, he had seemed… wonderful. Once they had truly started talking, Lenalee hadn't wanted to stop. She had never met someone so easy to talk with.

Lenalee paled for a second. Had she told him anything he could use against her or the Order? She replayed their conversation over in her head a dozen times in the span of two minutes. No. No, she hadn't given away any secrets. Nothing useful, at least.

"Lenalee?" Allen asked from across the table.

"Yes, Allen?" She tried to smile but gave up.

"What's wrong?"

She opened her mouth to deny that anything was wrong, but closed it the second she realized he wouldn't believe her. But could she tell him the truth? If anyone would listen to her without judgment, it would be Allen. Still, she was a coward at heart.

"I'm just tired," she said. It was a worthless lie and they both knew it, but Allen wouldn't call her out on it. Yet. "I think I'll go to bed now, actually."

For a moment, Lenalee worried he would keep her. He opened his mouth like he was going to, but then he sat back in his chair with a nod. "I'll see you in the morning."

Lenalee bid him goodnight and left. She was barely in her room when the tears broke loose. She hated crying. Hadn't she cried enough in her life already? And to cry over this was just so… ridiculous. She had only known the man a few hours. Why did it feel like such a betrayal for him to be a Noah?

He had asked to write her. That was it, she realized. That was why it hurt so much. Before that moment, she had known the night was a singular event. She had known they would never see each other again. He would just be a blip in the span of her life, a nameless character in a book. Then he made a promise. In that moment she started looking forward.

She could imagine it, still. Sitting in the cafeteria, or her room, or the library, going about her life, and then suddenly her golem would flap in with a letter in tow. She would snatch it up quickly and run to somewhere she could be alone. She would open it carefully, like it was something precious, and it would be. She would keep every letter he sent. Even if nothing ever happened, even if the letters stopped coming for no reason, she would have kept them all.

But there would be no letters. Not now.

She could still see the fury in his eyes when he had yelled at her to leave. She was lucky he hadn't tried to kill her. He could have. She was in no mindset to fight. She could have lost her life before she had even realized it was at risk.

This was a disaster.

Lenalee curled up on her bed, praying for sleep to come. But her tears wouldn't stop and her thoughts kept tumbling round and round in her head. She had been stupid. Reckless. Foolish. Weak. The last one got to her the most. Even now, she was acting weak. Crying over a man she hardly knew?

She was better than this. Much better.

The thought did nothing to quell her tears, though. They fell without orders, some innate emotion inside her forcing its way out.

Eventually, it did stop. Eventually, she closed her eyes. Eventually, she drifted off into a frightful and shallow sleep.

Then there was a knock.

Her eyes flew open as she jumped out of bed, ready for a battle. The knock came again and she turned to her window, where it had come from.

Tyki was out on the balcony.

Lenalee took a step backward. How did he find her? Was he here to kill her? No. He would have just come in and done it already. She had left herself wide open. Again. Weak.

Tyki played with the window a moment, apparently trying to open it. He gave up and pressed his forehead against the glass so he could see inside. "There appears to be something wrong with your door. It's missing a handle. And its see through. Who designed this thing?" He went back to feeling around for a door handle without an answer.

Lenalee sat back down on the edge of her bed. He was… drunk?

"Tyki?" she called out.

"Hmm?"

"Are you here to kill me?"

Silence.

"Tyki?"

His hands went still. "I… I just wanted to…"

"To what?" Lenalee snapped. Maybe it was a good thing he was drunk out of his mind. The fight would be easy. Or would it? Allen hadn't been able to kill Road, and he hadn't even really talked to her. Lenalee had spent three hours getting to know Tyki. Could she kill him even if she wanted to?

His forehead hit the glass with a thud. Lenalee worried for a second that he was just going to break the glass and waltz in, but he stayed put.

"I just wanted to talk, I suppose. I wouldn't disagree to more kissing, either. And if you wanted to take it another step further, I wouldn't complain, but I know you're probably going to kill me just for suggesting it."

"You can't be serious." Lenalee gripped the blanket underneath her. "Tyki. You're-"

"A Noah," he finished for her. "And you're an exorcist. Can I come in? It's cold out here."

"No!" She didn't mean to shout so loud. Hopefully Allen was either still eating, or already asleep. He was only right next door, and she knew better than to bet on the thickness of the wall separating them. He could probably hear this entire conversation if he wanted to.

Tyki placed his palm flat against the windowpane. "You hate me, don't you?"

A seemingly endless silence stretched out, thickening the air.

"You shouldn't be here," Lenalee finally said.

"I know."

"So why did you come?"

"I wanted to see you again…"

"Why?" Lenalee ground her teeth together. This conversation was going nowhere. She needed to ask better questions, but she was tired and he was drunk.

"There's… there was something… I wanted to tell you something! Yes, that's it."

Lenalee fought the urge to open the window and slap him until he could carry a decent conversation. "What did you want to tell me, Tyki?" She couldn't help sounding tired. It had been a very long night.

"I can't remember," Tyki admitted. He tapped the glass. "Can I come in?"

Lenalee finally let out a groan of frustration. "You're ridiculous," she snapped. She barged over to the window and yanked it open, letting the Noah fall on his face into the room. "I should kill you," she declared, looking down at him.

He flipped over onto his back with a grunt so he could stare at her. Lenalee couldn't tell if he even knew what he was actually looking at. He seemed to look through her and everything else.

"I should kill you now, when you're too out of it to even fight," she continued. "I could be saving my friend's lives."

He started to laugh, a dark and terrifying thing that made her take a step back. "You won't kill me," he said with a drunken smile. "You're too _nice_." He spoke the word as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "If anyone is going to be doing any killing tonight, it'll be me. Because I'm the 'bad guy.'" He waved his hands around in what looked to be an attempt to do air quotes.

"You're too drunk to kill anyone right now," Lenalee pointed out. "You can't even open a window."

"Window?" Tyki craned his neck to see the window he had been knocking on. "Huh… that explains it."

"You need to leave, Tyki."

She watched as he made a show of getting off the floor. When he was finally standing, thanks to the support from the wall, he narrowed his eyes at her. "You've been crying."

"Just go."

He reached out to her but she took a hard step back. His hand stayed in the air for too long, silence stretching out until it fell with his hand. "You do hate me, don't you?"

"You should leave, Tyki."

Tyki relaxed against the wall again. His eyes focused suddenly, and he looked a little too sober when his mouth opened. "You said earlier that there was a moment people had where everything clicks and they know they're looking at the person they're supposed to fall in love with. Do you think that's true?"

"We're soldiers, Tyki. We don't get that kind of privilege." Lenalee didn't like where this conversation was going. She had spent the last few hours telling herself that nothing could happen, that Tyki was the enemy. But here he was, defenseless in her room asking about love, of all things.

"I could have loved you," he said. The hiccup afterward took away some of the impact, but only some.

Lenalee felt her chest constrict, and the tears rise back up. She closed her eyes, attempting to shake away the feeling. She tried to reason with the more practical side of her brain. This couldn't happen. This wasn't possible. This… this was as ridiculous as the man in front of her.

"But it doesn't matter, does it?" Tyki went on. "You'll only ever see me as this, now…" Lenalee put a hand over her mouth as his skin turned dark and the stigmata formed across his forehead. "I'll only ever be a monster to you."

"It's easier that way," Lenalee admitted. "Don't you think?"

"I'm still the same person, you know." Tyki closed his eyes. "I didn't lie to you at all tonight. It was all the truth. Just because I'm a monster doesn't mean I'm not still the person you met."

Lenalee clenched her hands into fists. Why was he doing this to her? "You can't be that person, and a monster," she argued.

"Maybe I'm not a monster, then." Tyki shrugged nonchalantly.

"You work for the Earl."

"And you think the Order is much better?"

Lenalee faltered a moment in her response. She had seen the darker parts of what the Order was willing to do to win this war. She had experienced some of it herself. Still… "At least we don't kill people. We don't torture souls."

"We're soldiers, Lenalee. Some of us don't get the privilege of having morals."

This conversation needed to end. Soon. It was all getting just a little too real for Lenalee. All she had asked for was one night of happiness without being an exorcist. Was this her punishment for running from her position? Was this God's idea of a joke?

"Get out of my room," Lenalee ordered, her voice shaking more than she would have liked. "I don't know what you expected from this visit, and I don't care. Just leave me alone."

"Lenalee."

She opened her mouth to reiterate her demand, but the look in his eyes stopped her. The word pathetic came to mind. Desperate. Needy. Broken. It was all there on his face.

Before she could find words to say he started muttering to himself in another language. He leaned his head against the wall, running a hand through his hair in frustration. As his words rambled on he sounded angrier. By the end of the tirade, he was practically yelling, looking at her with those desperate eyes.

When he finally stopped talking everything in the room went still except his heaving chest as he struggled for breath. He looked as if he expected Lenalee to respond, and suddenly she felt like the stupid one in the room.

"You weren't speaking English," she said softly, not wanting to disturb the stillness that had settled in the room.

He cursed under his breath as he stepped toward her. His hands went to her face, holding her still as he attacked her lips.

Lenalee was too stunned at first to do anything. This kiss was different than the first one. This kiss matched his eyes. Her back hit the wall with a thud as his tongue entered her mouth.

Just as Lenalee wrapped her arms around his neck and his hands began to wander lower, the door flew open. Everything went still again.

"Lenalee, are you-"

Allen stood in the doorway, mouth unhinged as he stopped midsentence. Both of the exorcists blushed wildly, while Tyki merely chuckled darkly at the scene. Lenalee watched in shock and horror as Allen closed his mouth, swallowed, and opened it again. "I heard shouting," he muttered. "And then something… hit my wall…"

Lenalee felt her blush fade the second she realized Tyki was in his Noah form still. Dear God, this was the worst night of her life.

She pushed Tyki off her, and he moved without protest. "Um… hi." She waved awkwardly at her fellow exorcist.

"Should I leave?" Allen asked.

Lenalee just closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "No, Allen. You should not leave. Tyki was just on his way out." She shot a pointed glare at the man who was leaning against the wall once more.

"One little problem with that," he said, holding up a finger. "I have no clue where I am."

"How did you get here?" Lenalee asked. It was a miracle that everyone couldn't hear her teeth grind together.

"I have been walking for a very long time. You're not easy to find, you know." Lenalee sucked in a deep breath, holding back her childish and unhelpful angry remarks.

"Um-" Allen gripped the back of his neck. "What's going on here?"

"Allen, this is Tyki. Tyki, this is Allen." Lenalee motioned back and forth between the two before she explained the situation in a voice that was dripping with too much niceness. "I met Tyki tonight at the ball, where we talked for three hours and had a lovely night before I found out he was a Noah and ran away from him. Now he seems to have gotten himself hopelessly drunk and won't leave my room."

"Uh-huh…" Allen nodded with a blank look in his eyes. "So this is a new thing?" He motioned to the two of them.

"This is nothing," Lenalee snapped.

"You kissed me back," Tyki pointed out.

"You did seem-" Allen wasn't able to finish his remark, Lenalee's glare and pointed finger directed at him.

"You- Shut up. And you-" she turned her anger to Tyki. She faltered for a moment, trying to decide what exactly to do. In the heat of the moment, she brought her fist back and launched it at his jaw. "You can't just kiss me when I'm trying to kick you out of my room. And you're not staying here until you sober up. Get out!"

For a brief moment, Lenalee was consumed with guilt at her actions. Then Tyki's jaw popped back into place and he chuckled, rubbing at the spot as if she hadn't just hit him hard enough to brake his jaw. "I was honestly expecting a slap, at most," he admitted.

"Get. Out." Lenalee glared at him, rearing to punch him again.

Allen stepped in, clamping his hand down on Tyki's shoulder. "You should leave, sir," he said darkly. "Now."

Tyki seemed to be sizing Allen up, and for a moment Lenalee worried they would fight. She really couldn't handle that right now. Thankfully, Tyki seemed to regain some sort of sense, because he let Allen lead him out into the hall.

The door closed, and Allen was standing by her side now.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Can we not talk about this?" Lenalee pleaded, hiding behind her hands.

"Lenalee-"

"Please, Allen." Lenalee begged him with her eyes, knowing that if she tried hard enough she could get him to drop the subject. For now, at least. He would ask again. She couldn't ignore tonight forever.

"Our train leaves in three hours," he said. "You should get some rest before we have to go."

Lenalee nodded, watching him walk to the door. "Allen?" She called as he opened it. "Thank you."

* * *

The headache that greeted Tyki upon waking was almost as annoying as the stiffness in his back. He had woken up on the ground in an ally next to an inn. Lenalee's inn.

He rubbed his head as he sat up, slowly remembering the details of what happened while he was in his drunken stupor.

He found Lenalee. And… she hadn't killed him. That was a good sign, right? If she didn't kill him, then there was a chance. And then there was that kiss. God, that kiss… He couldn't really remember the details of it, but he knew that she had definitely kissed him back. He made a mental note to kiss her again like that next time he saw her, and to be sober when it happened.

No. He wouldn't be able to do that, would he? The next time he saw her would likely be in a fight for their lives. This was stupid. These thoughts were useless. Worse than useless. They were dangerous. Then again, wasn't keeping a second life dangerous, too? Being a Noah in general came with it's own dangers. What difference did it make if he upped the stakes a bit?

This was no different than a game of poker. It was just a gamble. The dealer had the advantage, sure, but there was always a chance. He was smart. He could navigate the system. He could play this game. And maybe- maybe he could win a few hands. He didn't expect to take much away at the end of it all, but maybe for awhile…

Tyki's mind was quickly made up. Three hours later he was showered, sobered, and ready to make his first move. It was time to write Lenalee her letter. Setting pen to paper, Tyki began to write.

 _Dear Lenalee,_

 _I am certain at this point that you do not want to hear from me, considering the way in which we parted. That being noted, I like to think of myself as a man of honor, despite your thoughts on the matter. I keep my promises, and I promised to write you. You're welcome to crumble it up and throw it away without reading further, but I should warn you that I intend to write you everyday for the rest of my life until you reply._

 _I would like to apologize for my behavior last night. You probably think very little of me at this point, all things considering. Any chance I had of a relationship with you probably died the second you learned who I was, and if not, my drunken and idiotic behavior likely did me in. I should probably tell you now that I'm actually quite a respectable gentleman, but we both know that's a lie, don't we? I'm willing to do anything just to get at my brother, my favorite past time is cheating people out of their money, and I work for the Earl. Respectable is not exactly a word that applies to me. So, I'm sorry. If it means anything, I will not be attending any balls in the near future, and honestly I don't drink much on a regular basis._

 _I have to wonder if you will even read this far into my letter. I have given you know reason to do so, and every reason to burn it on sight. That fact saddens me more than it should, I think. You seem to matter to me more than you should. I didn't mean to make you cry. If you do nothing else, please, forgive me._

 _I'm sending you flowers, by the way. Since you're new to the romance game, I figured you deserved all the cheesy and cliché things that come with it. I sent you lavender, the color your dress the night we met. Did you know lavender calms the mind? I think it suits you._

 _Now I sound like some love-struck idiot. This is what you've done to me. I hope you understand, I'm in uncharted water here. I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing. I can't even remember the last time I wrote a letter to anyone, but I can assure you it wasn't to a woman._

 _We spent so much time talking last night, but I feel I still know so little about you. I understand if you're reluctant to share now. I won't ask questions about the Order, or anything like that. We can pretend the war doesn't exist again. We can just be two people, getting to know each other again. I liked that. I just want to hear from you._

 _Yours,_

 _T_

Tyki stared down at the letter, a deep frown pulling at his features. "I sound like an idiot," he muttered to himself. He briefly considered crumbling up the letter and giving up entirely. But what did he have to lose? The answer: nothing. He would send it, as is.

"Tyki!"

Road jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. He tried to casually cover up his letter with blank pages before she could notice them.

"What's that?" Road asked. Tyki mentally cursed his luck.

"Nothing. What do you want?" he said. Maybe he could distract her?

"What are you writing?" Road insisted, squeezing him a bit tighter.

Tyki tried half-heartedly to pry her away from him, knowing it was a useless endeavor. "It's just a letter. Stop trying to choke me, please."

"You don't write letters," she said as she slid off his back. Her hands quickly snatched up the pages. "Hey-"

Tyki calmly ripped the letter from her hands before she could get further than the first paragraph. He held them over his head, thankfully that his height was one of the few advantages he held over the first Noah.

"Who's Lenalee?" Road asked, a stubborn pout on her lips. "Wait…"

Tyki struggled to keep his face expressionless. The last thing he needed was Road getting involved in this fiasco. She would keep his secret, but at what cost?

"Isn't she that exorcist Allen was with?" Road narrowed her eyes. "Are you writing a love letter to an exorcist?"

"It's _not_ a love letter."

She broke into a malicious grin. "Tyki's in love," she began in a singsong voice. Tyki looked to the ceiling as she jumped up and down, singing it over and over again.

"I'm glad you followed my advice," she said when she stopped jumping. "Lenalee seems like a nice girl. So, what's your plan? Can I help you kidnap her?"

"What-"

"We'll need to draw her away from the Order." Road was already deep in thought as she vocalized her plan. "Maybe we can do it when Allen is with her, and get them both at the same time. Do you think they're already home? We could stop their train-"

Tyki covered his face with his empty hand. Of course Road's sadistic mind would immediately go toward kidnapping. "Leave Lenalee alone," he said firmly, already heading toward the door. "And if you do anything involving Allen, don't get me involved. When Sheryl is furious about it, I'd like to claim plausible deniability."

"Well, how are you going to see her, then? She's part of the Order."

Tyki came to a stop in the doorway. "I haven't quite figured that part out, yet," he admitted. He held his letter out to her. "Since you've already gotten involve, could you make sure she gets this by tonight?"

"Sure!"

Tyki pulled the pages away before she could grab them. "Don't. Read. It."

Road pouted. He knew she was going to read it, despite his warning. What did it matter, though? He lowered his hand and gave the letter over to his niece.

"I think I'll write Allen a letter, too," she said, holding his letter behind her back.

"I need you to send flowers with it, too," Tyki said, already walking away. "Lavender. Got it?"

"A love letter _and_ flowers?" She smiled mischievously again. "Tyki's in love," she started in her singsong voice once more.

Tyki turned on his heels and stalked off. He didn't need this kind of torture from a kid. There were more important things to think about. Like how this little game was going to end up getting him killed.

Tyki took in a deep breath. If he was going to win Lenalee over, he needed to be smart about it. Everything now hinged on her decision, though. She could ignore him, or she could write back. He was cautiously optimistic that she would reply. Eventually. No one could receive a letter everyday for long before they at least replied back in annoyance, asking for it to stop. If she didn't… Well, then he would just have to get creative. He wasn't giving up on her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright, so this chapter is a bit shorter. They've been getting progressively longer, so I tried to hold myself back a bit. It was hard.**

 **Thank you to everyone who is still hanging around and reading! I hope you continue to enjoy what's coming. I'd love to hear what you think of the story and where it's going.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own D. Gray Man**

The train ride home was proving to be too long for Lenalee's taste. Allen was beside her, waiting patiently to be told what happened the night before. Lenalee, however, was sporting a small hangover and only an hour of fitful sleep. Mincing words with Allen about Tyki was one of the last things she wanted to do.

Still, Allen had been nice enough not to pressure her, aside from the expectant glances he kept sending her way. She would feel guilty if she didn't at least give him the basic details. He was keeping all this secret, after all. That was no small feat. She could be accused of treason for letting Tyki live. Of course, so could Allen.

It took only a few minutes to disclose every last detail of the night. Lenalee didn't spare him anything, including her own feelings on the matter. He listened in silence, since she had asked him not to interrupt. But now that the deed was done, the drawn out silence between them was getting to her.

"You can talk now," Lenalee said softly, more than a little unnerved.

Allen opened his mouth, and then closed it again. He seemed to struggle finding the right words. Lenalee forced herself not to look away from this disaster. She couldn't let herself hide from it.

"They really are just people, aren't they?"

Lenalee stared unblinkingly at the boy. She hadn't really known what to expect from him, but it certainly wasn't this. Allen turned his head to look out at the rolling hills they were passing by.

Leave it to Allen to start getting philosophical right from the start.

"They're enemies," Lenalee countered.

"They're still human."

Lenalee tried to come up with a good argument against him, but in the end it all came down to one thing. He was right.

"They'll kill us all, Allen," Lenalee tried to argue anyway. His moral battles were going to get both of them in trouble. They couldn't afford to think like that. Lenalee closed her eyes as she thought of Tyki's similar remark to her accusations against him. Some soldiers can't afford such high morals.

All this thinking was making her headache worse…

"Do you want to see him again?" Allen asked.

"He's a monster," Lenalee ground out.

"He didn't look like a monster to me."

The tightness that had made itself at home in Lenalee's chest since last night got worse. "It doesn't matter what I want, Allen. He's a Noah, and I'm an exorcist. Nothing can happen between us, whether he's a monster or not."

"But-"

"Allen. Please." Lenalee gave him the pleading look that had worked on him the night before. "I can't do that to Brother. What if Tyki… Its easier this way. Its easier to think of him as monster."

Allen hesitated before giving a small nod. Lenalee knew that he, of all people, had to understand. Allen always understands. He had been through enough in his life. The boy could empathize with a rock if he set his mind to it. Lenalee was certain of it.

"Do you think he'll write you?" Allen asked suddenly.

Lenalee paled. What would happen if brother caught wind of her getting a letter from an admirer? How far would he go? How much worse would it be if he found out the letter was from a Noah?

"Let's hope not," she muttered.

"Are you alright?"

"Brother…"

Allen matched her worried expression. "I'm sure Reever would stop him from reading your mail… probably."

"Probably." Probably didn't seem like a safe bet when her brother was involved. Lenalee began to fiddle with the hem of her skirt. She just wanted to be home and forget all about last night.

This train ride was definitely too long.

* * *

Tyki walked down a humble dirt road, adjusting his fake glasses as they slipped down his nose. Clark and Momo walked by his side, and Eeez rode on his shoulders. The boy always clung to him a bit tighter whenever he returned from a trip.

It felt good to be back with friends, even if it meant keeping secrets. He really did prefer this kind of life to what his brother wanted for him. Money, status, and social standing always seemed too fragile to consider important. They could all be ripped from you with just one bad move. It was stupid to rely on other people so much.

Tyki's life was far more independent. He was free to go wherever he pleased, whenever he pleased. He didn't have anything holding him back. Even his friends weren't hindrances. If he wanted to pack up and leave, they would just come with him. Anything they needed, they could get with a few rounds of poker on the road. There was always someone to cheat out of money. He had what he needed to get by, and he was perfectly happy with that.

Tyki wiped at the sweat that was slowly dripping down his face. That was one thing he didn't appreciate about the life of a laborer. It was always hot.

Momo and Clark gave him a strange look as he sighed.

"What?" he asked. "Do I have something on me?" He looked down at his clothes. He was covered in sweat, dirt, and coal. Nothing abnormal after a full day's work. He had arrived late in the morning, but had gone right to work in the mines. But why were they looking at him like he was wearing a dress?

"You haven't said anything about your trip," Momo pointed out, his voice slow and questioning. He adjusted the knitted cap he always wore. Tyki recognized the nervous habit and narrowed his eyes.

"You were visiting your brother, weren't you?" Clark added, scratching his forehead. Another nervous habit.

"Yes?" Tyki spoke slowly.

"Well, usually you come back in a fowl mood," Momo explained. "But you've been…"

"Different," Clark finished.

"Pensive."

"Quiet."

"Dreamy."

"Alright, I get it," Tyki cut them both off. He cleared his throat and turned away, entirely aware that his cheeks were showing the slightest hint of a blush. Since when had those two idiots paid that much attention to anything? Had he really been that obvious? "I could complain, if that's what you were wanting. My brother spent the entire weekend lecturing about how much he disapproves of my lifestyle, and-"

"Its a girl, isn't it?" Momo interrupted.

Tyki choked on his words rather ungracefully. When he regained control of his lungs he tried to laugh off Momo's question. "Come on, do you really think-"

"Damn it, Tyki. Seriously?" Clark grumbled. He shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out what little money he had on him.

Momo snickered as he snatched the money up. "Told ya' it was a girl."

"Were you two taking bets on me?" Tyki wasn't sure if he was appalled or proud of his friend's wager. Eeez's chest shook as the boy laughed silently.

"So who is she?" Momo asked.

"She's no one you'll ever meet," Tyki said, walking a little faster. They were almost home, but he doubted that would be enough of a distraction to change this conversation.

"Why? Is she as ugly as you?" Clark joked.

"At least then she won't be as ugly as you, Clark," Momo chimed in before Tyki could make some clever remark.

"She's gorgeous," Tyki corrected them. He gave a small sigh. "She's perfect…"

The two of them snickered.

"Damn. You're whipped," Clark gloated.

Tyki groaned. "I know."

"Does she at least know you exist?" Momo asked.

Tyki shook his head. "My chances would be better if she didn't. She hates me."

"That's okay, we hated you at first, too," Clark said, nudging Tyki in the side. "I think you just do that to people."

The two of them laughed, but Tyki just rolled his eyes at them. "You two aren't helping anything."

This whole falling in love thing really isn't what people made it out to be, Tyki decided. He felt horrible. Nervous. Frustrated. Impatient. He had no way of knowing if Lenalee had gotten his letter, or if she had replied. It could be a day or two before her letter would even get to him, if she wrote one. _If_ … Tyki hated that word right now.

Why did she have to be an exorcist? What kind of masochistic idiot pursues a relationship with an exorcist? Even if he weren't a Noah, pursuing an exorcist was beyond stupid. Exorcists held the lifespan of a common fly. Lenalee was too fragile to be important.

But underneath all the turmoil Tyki was suffering from, he felt a small warmth bubble up in his chest when he thought of her. It was there, right behind the tightness that made him feel like he was constantly panicking. She was something special, exorcist or not. He could tell. These feelings weren't something that was just going to go away.

"Hey, so you're cooking dinner, right?" Momo said. Tyki smiled softly. Momo was usually reliable to put out fires of any kind. If things ever got too tense, Momo would be the one to distract everyone. He had to, considering Clark had a history of being tactless.

All eyes turned to Tyki, waiting to hear the verdict on their dinner situation. Eeez patted his head excitedly in approval.

"You three are hopeless without me," Tyki muttered, rolling his eyes at them. "Yes, I'll cook dinner, even though I always cook when I'm home."

"Hey, we survive just fine when you're off working your secret job, thank you very much," Clark said proudly. Then the man wilted. "We just get tired of eating the same meal every day…"

Tyki chuckled. "I'll whip up something other than soup," he promised. "You two really should learn to cook for yourselves, though. What kind of example are you setting for Eeez?"

"I don't think anyone would make the argument that we're good role models for a kid," Momo pointed out.

Eeez squeezed Tyki's head in a tight hug. "Good family," his said, his small voice coming out raspy and soft.

Tyki lifted a hand to ruffle the boy's hair. Clark and Momo both beamed at them.

"Does your girl know you're good with kids?" Clark goaded. "Girls like guys who are good with kids."

"Do you want to eat soup tonight, Clark?" Tyki asked, shooting a mostly innocent glare at the man.

"No he doesn't!" Momo cut in quickly. "Clark, shut up."

"Shutting up," Clark said, a tense smile forced onto his face.

Tyki chuckled darkly as he walked inside their house. The door was never locked. Anyone stupid enough to steal from them would learn quickly that there's nothing worth stealing. He lowered Eeeze to the ground and headed for the kitchen. It was time to cook dinner and hopefully stop thinking about Lenalee. Hopefully… Tyki sighed. If working in the mine hadn't been enough of a distraction, cooking dinner wouldn't be.

The next few days were going to be torture…


	6. Chapter 6

It was late in the day when Lenalee and Allen returned to the Order. Both of them were exhausted after a night of excitement and very little sleep.

They were greeted at the door by the science division, who admittedly were just looking for an excuse to leave work for a few minutes.

Komui wasted no time in squeezing Lenalee until she couldn't breath, muttering nonsense as he swooned. While his obsessive clinginess sometimes grew annoying, Lenalee loved being welcomed home by her brother.

The space between his arms felt more like home than any other place ever could. She couldn't help but feel safe when he hugged her like this. Brother wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. Not here.

"How did the party go?" Reever asked, eyeing Allen's wounds.

"We had a small run in at the end with some akuma," Allen explained with a weak smile. "The ball was fine, though."

"The minister must have been impressed by you two," Reever said. "He's already written you both and sent gifts."

Lenalee and Allen shared a look. They had barely spoken two words to the minister. The minister's brother, however...

"He sent you flowers," Komui said with a dark look in his eyes. "He wasn't flirting with you, was he?"

Lenalee was quick to sooth her brother's worries. She was an expert at it by this point in her life. It was hard, lying to him, but she knew it was better than telling the truth.

Johnny brought forward the letters and gifts. Lenalee took her flowers, more curious as to what was in the box Allen had received. She wasn't the only one. Everyone eyed him with curiosity.

"What's in the box, Allen?" Tap finally asked.

Allen looked a little nervous. Lenalee understood why. A gift from a Noah could be anything. Opening it in front of everyone...

The boy seemed to give up with a sigh. He pulled back the string keeping the box closed and took the lid off.

"Candy?" Allen looked down at the treats. "Huh..."

"Why did the minister send you candy?" Reever asked.

"I... I don't really know," Allen answered honestly.

"It's pretty late," Lenalee cut in. "Allen and I didn't get much sleep last night, with the akuma attack. I think we should both head to bed."

Everyone accepted her excuse and bid them sweet dreams. The two exorcists swiftly escaped the crowd to find somewhere private to open their letters.

"The library?" Lenalee suggested. She had learned that inviting boys to her room this late at night triggered her brother's anxiety, and knew better than to try it more than once.

Allen nodded to and they rushed off to find an empty corner among the jungle of books. Both of them stared down at their respective letters, neither in a hurry to open them all of a sudden.

Lenalee couldn't stop the warm feeling inside her chest. Tyki had written her a letter. And he sent flowers...

She glanced over at the bouquet sitting on the table next to her. Lavender. Her favorite. Was it just a lucky guess?

Lenalee took in a deep breath and tore the wax seal on her letter. She opened it slowly and flattened the folds in it before building up the courage to read what he wrote.

When she had finished it, she read it again. And then again, just for good measure.

It wasn't an overly romantic letter. It had the same alluring sense of charm that Tyki had shown at the ball. It sounded like him, really. Lenalee couldn't tell if that was a good thing or not.

The man was certainly no Prince Charming. He had plenty of charm, but it didn't seem like the good kind.

This letter felt like a recipe for disaster.

Lenalee looked over to Allen. He looked even paler than usual, and his mouth hung slightly open.

"Allen?"

"It's from Road."

Lenalee felt a chill go down her spine. The events of the rewinding town may have been weeks ago, but she hadn't forgotten one second of them.

"It's some sort of... love letter," Allen muttered.

"That at least explains the candy," Lenalee said.

"I think I need to go to bed."

"I agree. We can worry about all this tomorrow." Lenalee folded the letter back up, already thinking of a good hiding place for it. The best thing to do would be to burn it, but she couldn't bring herself to consider the option.

The two exorcists parted ways, neither of them noticing the single green eye that glimmered with curiosity as they left.

That night, Lenalee found herself lying in bed, unable to sleep. She looked around at the room she had grown up in. It was the only place she could remember calling her own.

Photos hung on the wall, with every member of her make-shift family represented. Even Kanda managed to make it up there, though he wore his usual scowl in every photo Lenalee took of him.

Lenalee closed her eyes again, begging for sleep. Her mind wouldn't comply. It was all because of that letter. She had read it three more times since coming to her room, and it still nagged at her thoughts.

Every ounce of logic told her not to reply. It would bring nothing but disaster and ruin. Tyki was dangerous in more ways than one. What if all this was just a trap? What if he meant to get close to her so he could get at the Order?

But what if he was being honest?

Lenalee climbed out of bed and walked over to her desk on the other side of the room. It was rather bare, but for a few loose sheets of paper and photo of her and Komui with their arms around each other.

Lenalee turned the photograph around to keep from having to look her brother in the face while she did what she was about to do. Even just the thought of her brother's immense disapproval made her queasy. Still, she felt she had to do this.

Lenalee picked up a pen and pulled a blank sheet of paper toward her.

 _Dear Romeo,_

 _While you may not have appreciated the story of Romeo and Juliet, I think there is a lesson to be gained from it that you seem to have missed. When two people from opposing sides of a war get involved it doesn't end well. Even if it doesn't end in death for at least one of us, I cannot see any future where it ends much better than that._

 _I don't know why I'm writing you this letter. I'm tempted not to even send it. This is dangerous. You're dangerous. Part of me worries this is all some sort of trap. You seemed so honest while we talked, yet you were keeping such a big secret from me. I don't know what to believe anymore..._

Lenalee put her pen down and stared at her own words. She shoved the pages away from her, shooting up from her chair. This was madness!

In a move uncharacteristic of the girl, she began to pace the room.

Sending this letter could destroy the very carefully crafted world she had made. Her world had always been her priority. She had to maintain her friends, her family, her image...

Tyki could destroy everything. He could turn the Order against her, or he could kill her friends. He was a bigger threat than the Earl right now.

But the problem wasn't really him, was it? Lenalee shook her head. No. The problem was her. For the first time since her brother came to the Order, she found herself wanting more from her life. She wanted more than family and friends and home.

Was she really this selfish?

Lenalee opened a drawer in her desk and shoved the unfinished letter inside it. No. She wasn't going to be selfish. She wasn't going to risk everything. Not for this. Not for a Noah. Even if it is Tyki...

Before the drawer was even closed she thrust her hand back in and pulled the half-written letter back out. It wouldn't hurt anyone to send just one letter, right?

Four days. Four awful, traitorous, dreadful days. And nothing.

Tyki walked to the post office every chance he got, asking if anything had come. The answer was always no. He had become somewhat of a laughing stock among the town with his persistence. He stayed true to his word, writing Lenalee everyday in hopes of getting something in return.

First it was the employees of the post office who got curious. When they asked him, he brushed them off. What business did they have getting involved? But Clark blurted out the situation in full detail to everyone.

The employees at the post office were, admittedly, very enthusiastic. They seemed almost as invested as Tyki at this point. He would wait with them sometimes when the carrier was late. When the mail finally arrived they would help him look through it with hope in their eyes. And when they found nothing, they looked even more defeated than him. Of course, he wasn't one to display that much emotion in front of strangers anyway.

Day three was when the whole town got involved. Clark and Momo had ended up running their mouths off to everyone at work when they asked where Tyki was going on his lunch breaks. So everyone knew that Tyki was pinning hopelessly for a girl.

It was humiliating. Everyone heckled him when he walked down the street. People he didn't even know would chuckle when they made eye contact.

Tyki was a private person. He didn't even express his emotions on his face in a deliberate attempt to remain as elusive as possible. But that was all screwed up now.

It was day four. Everyone knew Tyki's secret. He was walking to the post office after work, ignoring his friends playful remarks.

When he opened the door, the two employees had strange looks on their faces. Tyki tried not to get his hopes up.

Had something come in?

He forced himself to walk calmly to the counter. They slid a single envelope toward him, sealed with the Order's emblem in a black wax.

Tyki's mouth fell open and he just stared for a moment, working hard to keep anything else from showing on his face.

"Is it her?" The girl behind the counter asked.

Tyki nodded once. He snatched up the letter and broke the seal. While he would have liked to read it in private, he had already waited too long. He was the Noah of Pleasure, not patience.

 _Dear Romeo,_

Well this was certainly off to a bad start...

 _While you may not have appreciated the story of Romeo and Juliet, I think there is a lesson to be gained from it that you seem to have missed. When two people from opposing sides of a war get involved it doesn't end well. Even if it doesn't end in death for at least one of us, I cannot see any future where it ends much better than that._

 _I don't know why I'm writing you this letter. I'm tempted not to even send it. This is dangerous. You're dangerous. Part of me worries this is all some sort of trap. You seemed so honest while we talked, yet you were keeping such a big secret from me. I don't know what to believe anymore..._

Tyki lowered the letter and took a deep breath. He was scared to finish it. He felt he knew where this was going. Rejection seemed a little too hard to handle this soon in the game.

He picked the letter back up.

 _Despite everything... I miss you. I don't even know you, and I miss you. I didn't think that was possible._

 _You know, I didn't think you were serious about writing me every day. My brother is quite curious as to why the Minister's nephew is writing me letters. And by curious, I mean blood thirsty. He's already planning your murder and he doesn't even know your na_ me. _Let's hope he doesn't learn it._

 _You said in your last letter that you went back home. What's it like? I can't remember what it's like to live in a real home._

 _The only home I've ever known has been the Order. Technically, everyone in the Order is a roommate of mine. But we get our own rooms, so I guess it's better for us than you._

 _We also have a cook. His name's Jerry. He taught me everything I know. Do you cook? I love to cook._

 _I feel like I'm rambling now. I've tried writing this letter six times. I think I just need to send it._

 _This is terrifying..._

 _Yours,_

 _Lenalee_

Tyki leaned against the counter, an uncharacteristically pure smile pulling at his face.

"She misses me," he muttered, forgetting he had an audience.

The girl behind the counter squealed while the man slapped him on the back.

"I'll be back," Tyki said, suddenly feeling like things were very urgent. "I have a letter to write."

Tyki hurried out of the post office. When he got to the street he tried to slow himself down, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He had an imagine to maintain, even if everyone knew he was pinning after a girl. He was calm, cool, and collected. At least, that's what everyone who wasn't directly related to him thought.

When Tyki made it home the guys followed him from the kitchen to the bedroom.

"What's up?" Clark asked.

"Did she write back?"

"She wrote back, didn't she?"

"Where's the letter?"

"Let us read it!"

Tyki reached his arm up in the air, letter in hand. No way was he letting them read anything she ever wrote to him.

"Eeez, get 'em!" Clark held the boy up so he could reach.

Tyki shoved all of them down when he realized the letter mentioned certain war related aspects of his life. This wasn't just about his preferences. If they read the letter, they would start asking questions. That couldn't happen.

"What Lenalee wrote me is none of your business. Now leave it alone or I'm not cooking dinner!"

All three of them looked petrified and backed away slowly. Tyki smirked. "Thank you."

Eeez ran up to him and wrapped his arms around his leg, looking up with a smile in his eyes. "Good letter?"

Tyki's smile softened. "Very good letter."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay in my updates. I did some traveling for work, and then Thanksgiving took up a lot more time than expected. Now I'm sick with a stomach bug, but that means more time for writing! So, enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own D-Gray Man :(**

The library was quiet as Lenalee sat in an arm chair reading. The science division was hard at work with full cups of coffee, Allen and Kanda were both out on missions, Lavi was being put to work by Bookman, and Jerry was napping in the kitchen. It was a rare moment at the Order where she had no demands on her time.

Lenalee glanced up from her book at the grandfather clock nearby. A small sigh escahped her lips as she noted it wasn't quite time for the mail to have arrived. Tyki's next letter was due any day, but so was her next mission. She wanted to at least read it before she had to leave.

The two of them had been writing back and forth for weeks now. The daily mail had become Lenalee's favorite time of day, though she tried to hide it.

Komui wasn't happy in the least that she was exchanging letters with some stranger he couldn't murder. Keeping him at bay was getting difficult, and Lenalee knew it was only a matter of time before he got ahold of one of the letters (she kept them all in a hiding place in her room). The world would end ten times over if he ever found out the full truth...

Suddenly feeling paranoid, Lenalee closed her book and headed for her room. She had a bad feeling that she wasn't going to like what she was about to find.

The door to her room was left slightly open. Lenalee felt her chest tighten in panic as she threw it open and jumped inside.

Lavi was sitting at her desk, the chair leaning on its back two legs. Sprawled across the desk and piled on his lap were the letters Lenalee so desperately needed to keep hidden. She knew keeping them was more trouble then it was worth. Why did she have to be so sentimental?!

"Lavi," Lenalee said slowly as she closed the door. What exactly was he planning on doing with this new information?

"You know, I never pegged you for someone who went for older men."

Lenalee's face went beet red. "Lavi!" She shoved him out of her chair and collected the letters while he laughed on the floor.

"You really like this guy, huh?" Lavi asked when he managed to stop laughing.

Lenalee shoved her letters inside her uniform jacket, wishing she could get her blush under control just as easily. "Are you going to tell?"

Lavi looked confused for a minute. "Of course not. We're friends." He seemed to regret his response immediately and hurried to detach himself, "I'm just here to observe, anyway. A relationship between an exorcist and a Noah is definitely one for the history books."

Lenalee smiled knowingly at his cover up. She had noticed for some time now that Lavi had changed during his stay at the Order. He didn't have the same cold detachment Bookman carried around. He was a friend, not just a passive observer.

"Thank you," Lenalee said, hoping he understood just how much his friendship meant to her.

"So am I allowed to hear all the juicy details now?" Lavi flashed a mischievous grin.

Lenalee threw herself on her bed with a sigh. "What do you want to know?" He most likely picked up the basics about the relationship from all the letters. There couldn't be that much left to tell.

"Is it serious between you two?"

A sharp pain ran through her chest. Did he always have to start with the hard ones? "Next question."

"Have you two done it yet?"

"Lavi! No!" She tossed a pillow at him, ignoring his laughter.

"I'm required to be as thorough as possible. For the sake of knowledge." She ignored the amusement in his eyes.

"Pervert," Lenalee muttered.

"So is he forced to work for the Earl? I can't imagine you would give him any attention if he willingly did the things he did..."

"I don't think he has a choice," Lenalee said, staring at the ceiling. She pulled one of her pillows to her chest. "He doesn't like to talk about it."

"What are you going to do if you have to fight him?"

"Next question."

"Lenalee..."

She shook her head, hiding her face behind the pillow she clung to. "Do you ever wonder what life would be like if things were simpler?"

"Yes."

The soft whisper he answered with startled her out of her own problems. She sat up to look at him and his sad, crooked grin.

"Lavi?"

"But things aren't simple. We have to make do with the cards we're dealt."

"Unless you're Allen, and you always have a trick up your sleeve." Lenalee tried to smile at her own joke. It was rare that Lavi looked so somber, and it worried her.

Lavi gave a mirthless chuckle. "I should get going," he said. "I'm supposed to join Allen and Kanda on their mission. But when I get back, I have a ton more questions for you."

"Fine. Just, don't tell anyone. Not even Bookman."

"Your secret is safe with me." Lavi flashed a thumbs up with a cheesy grin that did nothing to instill confidence.

Lenalee sighed and fell back on the bed. The soft click of her door closing left the room in silence. What would she do when the time came to fight Tyki? She knew it would happen eventually. Would he use her feelings for him against her? Would she be able to do what needs to be done?

"I'm bored," Clark declared for the fifth time.

Momo rolled his eyes, not even acknowledging his brother's childishness with a verbal response. Tyki continued to stare absently out the window as he shuffled a deck of cards. They had been on this train for hours, heading to their new job. Work at the mines had gone south and now they were on to the next big thing.

"Game," Eeez declared.

"I'm not playing cards with you two anymore," Tyki insisted. "It's no fun. I always win and there's nothing to gain."

"We're on a train," Momo pointed out. "Rich people ride trains, don't they?"

Tyki's hands froze mid-shuffle. The door to their train car opened as if on cue and in stumbled an unfamiliar character wearing a terribly familiar black coat.

"Hello there," Tyki said, attempting to make an innocent smile. He knew it always came out far more predatory than he intended, but that was just part of who he was. "Care to play a game?"

"Game?" Muttered the clueless exorcist.

The man had black hair, but for a single blond streak through it. His coat was standard issue, but he carried himself as if he had no idea how to even walk. Newly discovered exorcist? That meant there were others on board. Tyki made a note to be careful while he had his fun.

Thirty minutes was all it took to rob the exorcist blind. After four rounds of poker Krory, they discovered his name was, had managed to loose everything but his underwear. Pity for him, considering it was below freezing outside.

Then the door opened again. Tyki tensed up a bit when a familiar short stack with white hair sauntered in, followed by two others. From Lenalee's descriptions, Tyki quickly identified the others as Kanda, by the scowl, and Lavi, by the hair and eye patch.

"Hello there," Allen said, a mischievous look aimed at Tyki. "Shouldn't you be off mining under a mountain somewhere?"

"Dry mines. Occupational hazard." Tyki shuffled the deck of cards in front of him. The look aimed at him was unsettling, though he refused to let it show.

"You two know each other?" Momo asked.

"Vaguely," Tyki answered. "I met him at one of my brother's parties. I hear he's quite the poker player." It was always better to get ahead on making a cover story. He couldn't let the other exorcists learn his identity any more than he could let his friends. Double lives really did keep things interesting.

"I was actually hoping I would get a chance to talk to you again," Allen said.

Tyki pretended to be disinterested. He was unexpectedly in a room with three of Lenalee's best friends, two of whom didn't even know who he was. This needed to be handled with extremely delicate actions. Too many wrong moves could kill any chance of a real relationship.

Tyki frowned internally. Since when did he think he had any chance for a relationship anyway? This whole thing was destined for disaster.

"Um, Allen," Lavi cut through tyki's internal turmoil. "Can you ask your friend for Krory's cloths back? We really can't loose that coat."

Tyki smirked. Maybe he should be trying to impress Lenalee's friends, but he still had to be himself. "I won it. It's mine now."

"How about a game?" Allen suggested, an evil glint in his eye.

Tyki had to suppress a shudder. What right did an exorcist have to look that wicked?

The cards were dealt as Allen sat across from Tyki, Clark, and Momo. The game, if you could call it that, was over in record time. Tyki and his gang had lost not only their new spoils, but their own cloths as well.

Allen cheated. Tyki took it like a man, because he himself took to cheating when the situation required it. He was mostly impressed, to be honest. The kid had seemed like a bit of a angel. Now it was clear why Road seemed infatuated with the exorcist. He was more than an innocent smile. How interesting.

"Lets talk now," Allen insisted, waiving their clothes as his collateral. "Then maybe I'll think about giving you these before you leave the train."

Momo and Clark both made dramatic groans of despair, pushing Tyki toward Allen.

The two of them moved to the next train car, finding themselves in a small hallway that led to other passengers' rooms. It was eerily quiet but for the mechanical sounds that propelled the train forward.

Tyki leaned against the metal door of the train car, pretending the cold didn't bother his bare back. He wanted to ask why Allen wanted to talk, but it seemed like more of a power play to stay silent.

"What are your intentions with Lenalee?" Allen asked.

Tyki raised an eyebrow. "My intentions?" As if he would divulge personal information to a stranger, let alone an exorcist. It didn't help that he wasn't entirely aware of his intentions himself. He knew nothing real could come from Lenalee. So what was he trying to accomplish? It certainly wasn't pleasure. Waiting to hear back from her and constantly wondering if she had finally given up on him was perhaps some of the most tortured moments of his life.

"Are you going to hurt her?" Allen got more specific, his face a little too serious. He looked older now.

Tyki remained silent. Hurting Lenalee. It didn't feel good to think about. At the same time, there was that little voice inside that wanted to kill. The voice conjured images of hate and death and bloodlust. When the time came, if the order was given, would Tyki be able to tell that part of himself no? Self control was not his strong suit.

"I don't want to hurt her," Tyki finally answered.

Allen gave a sigh that sounded condescending, if Tyki's ears weren't misleading him. "Fine. I'll help you."

"I don't remember asking for anything."

"Lenalee leaves for her next mission in two days. She's going to in Paris. You'll find her at the Blue Posey Inn."

Maintaining a neutral face was getting difficult. Was he actually getting another chance to see her again?

Wait. What if she didn't want to see him? She was careful not to mention her missions at all. He never knew where she went or when she was going. What if that wasn't just because he was on the wrong side of the war? What if she never intended to see him in person again?

Doubt was a terrible feeling. Tyki realized he had experienced very little of it until he met this wonderfully torturous girl.

"Tyki?"

Tyki swatted away the hand that Allen was waving in front of him.

"You okay?" Allen asked.

Tyki ignored the boy and began to turn around as if to leave. "Thanks for the top, Al-" A flash of red hair outside his window made him pause.

"Lavi!" Allen groaned loudly, smacking a hand against his forehead.

The exorcist, who had apparently been clinging to the outside of the train just to listen, opened the window and jumped in.

"You look like a homeless guy, Noah," Lavi said as he brushed himself off and straightened his jacket. He flashed a broad smile at Tyki's glare. "Bet you weren't expecting me to know who you were."

"He snuck into Lenalee's room and read all your letters," Allen explained.

The only information Tyki was able to process from the explanation came tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop it. "She keeps my letters?"

"Probably shouldn't have said that, Beansprout," Lavi chuckled.

"It's Allen!" The boy demanded in a temper tantrum.

Tyki smirked, thankful for a distraction from his ridiculous comment. "It's a fitting name, though."

Allen's glare was a frightful thing. It was like looking into the eyes of the Earl. Or Sheryl. It felt familiar. Tyki stored that little piece of information in the back of his mind for later.

"If all the useful parts of this conversation are over now, I'll be taking my leave," Tyki announced, already turning away again.

"Not so fast." Lavi's hammer hit the door, refusing to let it open.

Tyki didn't turn around. He was mentally assessing the situation. Did Lavi intend to fight him? It seemed unlikely. Still, Tyki prepared himself.

"Allen here is too nice, so I doubt he's had this conversation with you," Lavi began. "But you should know, Lenalee is very loved by people at the Order. If you do anything to hurt her- anything- you will have the weight of every scientist, exorcist, and general who knows her coming down on you. There isn't a hole deep enough for you to hide in if it comes to that. We will find you. And you will be begging for death by the time we're through with you."

Tyki looked over his shoulder to examine the serious look in the boy's eyes. It reminded him of a younger version of himself, from a very different time. He knew better than to brush that look off.

"Your warning has been noted," Tyki replied. "Are we done? I'd like to get back to my friends before-"

"Muegan!" Came an angry shout from the other side of the door.

"No, Kanda!" Followed Krory's panicked cry.

Tyki let out a sigh as he opened the door and stepped out of the way, letting Allen and Lavi run in to hold back their friend.

Meanwhile, Tyki sat back and chuckled as Clark cowered in fear and Momo stared in awe at the sword threatening to run them through.

Putting the two of them in a room with Kanda was nothing more than a ticking time bomb. Tyki had known from Lenalee's letters that the three of them would be a disaster together. It was always amusing to watch things play out just as he expected them to.

But his amusement with their trouble quickly faded. He had plans to make. He was going to be taking Lenalee out for their first date and everything had to be perfect. She was going to be in Paris. That gave him almost too many options. What was he going to do?

 **Author's Note: Got any ideas for their first date? Now taking requests!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Well hello again internet! Extra long chapter up ahead, so I hope you like reading. I probably should have done some more editing on it, but I decided I just want to get it out. As always, reviews would be much appreciated! We're moving into the more angsty parts of the story after this chapter, so enjoy the happiness while it's here.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own D. gray-man.**

Lenalee stepped off the train in a remarkably good mood. While she considered herself a very social and friendly person, she had to admit that even she enjoyed a little alone time. This was her first solo mission in months, and she had definitely been looking forward to it.

No exorcists. No finders. And hopefully, no akuma. She knew the last part wasn't likely, but that didn't stop her from being optimistic.

The mission was simple. A local church had discovered the innocence and was already protecting it. She just had to collect it and take it home. Of course, there wouldn't be another train leaving until tomorrow. Her smile widened. One night in Paris all by herself. What should she do?

Food was a must. Then what? Music? Art? Museums? Shopping? She didn't exactly have the time or money to do everything.

As Lenalee walked to the church her mind wandered from admiring the views to pondering what she should do first after retrieving the innocence. She had a strange sense of calmness about her, one that she couldn't explain. Usually on missions she had to be weary. There could akuma in crowds like the one she currently found herself in.

Yet she couldn't find it in herself to be on guard. She felt safe, like nothing in the world could hurt her.

Lenalee shook her head to clear her thoughts. Just because this was an easy mission didn't mean it was a safe one. She knew better than that. Mistakes could easily end in death.

The church came into sight and Lenalee forced herself to be more aware of her surroundings. The second she collected the innocence she would have an even bigger target painted on her back.

"Miss Exorcist!" A priest came running out of the church in a panic.

Lenalee hardly had time to frown before the priest grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "It's gone. It's just gone! We were so careful. Nobody went in or out. We're certain of it. I don't know how it happened, but it's gone!"

There was only one thing he could be talking about. Lenalee placed a calm hand on the man's shoulder. "Show me where it was kept," she said. Innocence had a way of running off, even without fowl play. Lenalee didn't want to just assume this was the Earl's doing. Of course, that's mostly because she had been hoping for a night off.

The priest led her quickly to a small back room in the church. Lenalee glanced around as he fumbled with the keys. The church was carefully made, with stone walls and painted ceilings. Mosaic images depicting the saints ran along side every corridor she was led down.

Why couldn't headquarters be this elegant? She would have loved to watch the sun light glint through ever color imaginable in mosaic windows, or gaze up at masterful artwork during her meals. She sighed lightly. Anything that precious would likely just get destroyed at headquarters. Between her brother's inventions, Allen and Kanda's fights, and the various explosions in the science division, nothing nice ever last for very long.

The priest finally managed to open the door and gestured her inside.

The small room lacked the beauty of the rest of the church. It's stone walls were bare and dusty. There was a pedestal in the center, where Lenalee assumed the innocence was supposed to be.

As she took a look around, she spotted a folded piece of paper on the floor. Picking it up, she felt the air go cold around her.

 _Come find me -T_

She recognized that handwriting.

"What is that?" The priest said, a hint of hope in his voice.

Lenalee hid the note from view. It would only generate more questions. "Don't worry, sir," she said with an assuring smile she had learned to perfect over the years. "I think I'll be able to find it."

Finding it would be the easy part. How was she supposed to get it back from him? Had he already destroyed it?

"God bless you!" The priest kissed both her cheeks and gave a small bow. "If you need any assistance, I'm here to help. This is the first time the other priests have put me in charge of anything, I doubt they'll ever do it again if we don't find it..."

"Don't worry, sir-"

"Arther."

"Arther." Lenalee nodded. "Finding and protecting innocence is what I do. I-"

"Let me help," Arther pleaded. "I'm already a laughing stock here. I need to prove to them that I'm not useless."

"That's really not-"

"I'm sure I can do something." Arther looked at her so desperately that she didn't have it in her to deny him.

"Sure," Lenalee agreed. "If you really want to. Um... you can go into town and ask around-"

"Wait, what's that on there?" Lenalee was too annoyed by the constant interruption to realize that Arther had snatched the note from her hand.

Thank goodness he didn't open it. He was too busy inspecting a drawing on the outside.

"That's the park down the street from my apartment... do you think that's where the innocence is?!"

Lenalee groaned internally. She wasn't thinking fast enough to keep Arther away from this, and she really did need to find that innocence...

"Can you show me where it is?" She asked in defeat.

"Of course!"

As they hurried to the park Lenalee's mind wrestled with what was about to happen.

Tyki had stolen a piece of innocence. She had to get it back. Did he know she was here? The note seemed to suggest so. But what if he didn't? What if he was trying to lure some random exorcist to their death? What if he was trying to lure _her_ to her death?

Her chest tightened at the unpleasant idea. She had chosen to ignore the facts of her relationship with Tyki. What if that wasn't possible anymore? Lavi's worried question rang in her ears.

What would she do when It came time to fight him?

The park came into view quicker then Lenalee would have liked. Arther was rambling on about something, most likely the innocence. Lenalee was too distracted by an ominous figure looming by the fountain.

"Arther, thank you for the help," Lenalee cut him off. "I think you should go now."

"Go? But-"

Lenalee's eyes caught Tyki's. The Noah threw her a devilish smirk, his eyes dangerously playful.

"Hello, Lenalee," he called out.

"Tyki..." Lenalee fought the urge to smile back at him. That smirk of his really was quite alluring. She flashed back to the kiss they had shared, holding her breath. No! This was not the time to be flirting!

"Who is he?" Arther asked. "You know him?"

Tyki's eyes shot daggers at the intrusion. "I was under the impression that you would be alone."

"This is Arther. He's in charge of the innocence that _you_ stole." Lenalee tried to look fierce, despite her hesitance.

Tyki chuckled, only fueling her anger. Was this all just a joke to him? "Sorry about that. Couldn't resist. Don't worry, you'll get it back. After our date."

Lenalee froze. "Date?" So he wasn't here to fight...

"A little birdie told me you would be here alone," Tyki explained. "So I planned accordingly."

"And stealing innocence is part of that plan?" He wasn't going to charm his way out of this.

His eyes glinted dangerously. "Of course. Your mission is to retrieve it, right? So as long as I have it, you can't leave."

In some twisted way, his logic made perfect sense. However, this was not how Lenalee had imagined being asked out on her first date. Wasn't there supposed to be butterflies in her stomach? Wasn't he supposed to be giving her flowers or something?

This was just... ridiculous. Like everything else about that man.

"And what if I refuse?" Lenalee asked.

"Then I keep the innocence."

"Then I fight you."

Tyki rolled his eyes. "I have no intention of fighting you."

Lenalee activated her innocence, giving him a challenging glare.

"Wait, why don't you just go on a date with him?"

Lenalee whipped around to stare at Arther. She had forgotten he was there. Crap. He saw Tyki. He heard their conversation. If word got around to the wrong people...

"Arther-"

Before Lenalee could finish, she was interrupted by Tyki. "Good sir, while I appreciate the backing, it really is in your best interest to leave. And if you tell anyone about me I will personally make sure it is the last thing you ever communicate in your life."

"Tyki!" Lenalee took a step toward the lunatic.

"What? You've made it very clear you don't want your employer getting wind of me."

Lenalee groaned, covering her face in her hands. "Why can't you just be normal?"

"Normal's overrated. Besides," he pulled her hands away from her face, "normal would never have caught your eye in the first place."

When did he get so close? He towered over her, an unfamiliar look in his eyes. There was something soft about it, about him. For a moment, Lenalee was caught up in the sight before her. He was entirely too alluring.

"So, how about a first date?"

"You're ridiculous," Lenalee muttered breathlessly. There were those butterflies she had asked about.

"Is that a yes?"

She glanced back at Arther. The priest gave a smile and a thumbs up. Seriously?

Lenalee took her hands back from Tyki's grasp and walked over to the Arther. "Is it possible for you to not tell anyone about this?" She pleaded.

"Of course!" Arther winked at her. "I'll let you two get on with it. But, uh... we will get the innocence back, right?"

"Yes. Trust me, he's going to pay dearly for this little stunt." Lenalee shot a glare over her shoulder.

Arther gave a soft chuckle. Why was he so calm about this? "Well, try not to be too hard on him. He seems like he really likes you. This is pretty romantic, after all."

"He asked me out on a date by threatening to destroy a piece of innocence," Lenalee deadpanned. "Actually, he didn't even ask at first."

"He was probably worried you would say no."

Lenalee nearly scoffed at the suggestion, until she realized it might actually be true. Tyki always tried to present himself as suave and cocky. He liked to be the smartest person in the room. But hadn't she always seen right past that front?

A familiar warmth grew in Lenalee's chest as she glanced back at Tyki. He was just as nervous and clueless as she was. He just didn't want to admit it. As annoying as it was, she also found it just a little bit endearing. Only a little!

"I think that's my cue to leave," Arther said with a knowing smile. Lenalee tried not to blush, but it was impossible. "I'll tell the others that you're following a lead. Let me know how it goes!"

Lenalee watched in awe as the priest sauntered off confidently. She made a mental note to talk further with him later. Hopefully he understood her situation well enough to keep it secret.

"Shall we go?" Tyki whispered in her ear, making her jump a little. The man was like a ninja.

"We need to set some ground rules," Lenalee decided as she turned around, planting her hands on her waist.

A clear frown formed in front of her, and she was finally pleased with herself. "Can't say I'm a fan of rules," he replied.

"This can't happen again," Lenalee insisted, gesturing to everything around them. "Your devilishly charming schemes may have been incredibly attractive when I was drunk and off work, but not now."

"So you only found me attractive because you were drunk?"

She stiffened when he wrapped his arms around her lower back. He had that look on his face again. That cocky smirk that told everyone he knew exactly how mysterious and alluring he was. One of his hands slid up to her chin, angling her lips toward his.

An old cigarette scent drifted off him, and Lenalee found she didn't actually mind. There was something else mixed with the scent. Something innately him.

Lenalee's eyes fluttered closed as his lips lightly brushed against hers. Was it getting hotter out here?

Tyki gave her a real kiss now. She felt the weight of their two month separation in his eagerness.

Wait. Hadn't she been in the middle of saying something?

Lenalee pulled away from him, pushing him back at the same time. She wasn't just going to melt into his arms. If he wasn't going to be a proper Prince Charming, she was certainly not going to play a damsel.

"Rule one," Lenalee articulated firmly, "you ask nicely for things or I don't play along. There will be no more scheming or trickery."

"Trickery?" Tyki asked with one raised eyebrow. Lenalee had to pause for a moment just to keep her focus away from that face of his.

"Rule two, you do not under any circumstances threaten the life of anyone while I'm around. I don't care who you are or what your job is. My job is to protect people, and I don't want to be placed in that situation."

"Fair enough," Tyki conceded, though he did seem a little annoyed.

"Rule three-"

"Love, how many rules are there going to be?"

Lenalee shot him and glare, crossing her arms. It was rather difficult since he still had his arms around her, holding her a bit closer than he really ought to.

Wait, did he just call her Love?!

"I'm not trying to cut you off, promise. But it is very nearly dinner time and I wasn't lying when I said I made the proper arrangements. If we're late for dinner it'll just throw the whole night off."

"Whole night?" Lenalee muttered. "What exactly did you plan?"

There was that smirk again. He really needed to stop doing that her.

"It's a surprise. Now come on, you can continue limiting my glorious freedom on our way to the restaurant."

Lenalee couldn't help but let out a small giggle. He made dinner reservations! And other plans. Her mind filled with questions, momentarily distracting her from the rules.

She didn't let it last long, though.

"Rule three," she reiterated on the way to their mystery destination, "no more distracting me with smirks and raised eyebrows just because you don't want to have an unpleasant conversation."

She glared at him when he tried to do just that. He pouted a little when he realized she was serious.

"Must you take all the fun away?"

"Rule four, no public displays of affection."

"Hold on-"

"I can't have someone accidentally seeing me with you like that. If my brother ever found out I was doing anything romantic with someone, he would castrate every male I've met in the last five years."

Lenalee held back her giggle as Tyki forced himself to swallow his pride. He was taking this remarkably well, and she had to give him credit for that.

When his demeanor suddenly changed, she grew suspicious. That grin was back on his face and he slowed to a stop.

They had arrived.

Mouth agape, Lenalee stared at the open patio in awe. A string quartet played in the corner. Lanterns hung across the sky like stars. A single waiter motioned them over to a table in the middle of it all.

"Why is there no one else here?" Lenalee asked, though she already suspected the answer. "It's beautiful."

"I'm not a fan of crowds," Tyki said. He pulled out a chair for her. "If I'm only going to get one night with you, I'm not letting it go to waste. Sometimes it helps to flaunt my brother's name around."

A blush made its way to Lenalee's cheeks as she sat down. Maybe he did know how to play Prince Charming. Now that was an amusing development.

"What's that look for?" The suspicious glance he gave her was temptation enough to let her laughter flutter through the air.

"For all your talk of cynicism and reputation, you're really just a romantic at heart."

The man pouted at that. Pouted! Lenalee laughed at him again.

"Don't worry," she chirped. "Your secret is safe with me."

"I've said it before and I'll say it again. You've absolutely ruined me."

For some reason, Lenalee quite liked the sound of that. She liked it a lot. There was some sort of special place she held in Tyki's life, and while she wasn't sure how she had managed to get there she certainly didn't want it to change. Because, in reality, he held the same place in her own life.

How on earth had this happened?

The woman's rules were torture. All the fun was being ripped right from his hands. No scheming. No threatening. No revealing secrets. Well, at least that one made sense. But limiting public displays of affection?!

That was perhaps his least favorite part. If he had his way this entire night would be spent in her hotel room doing entirely indecent activities that would have them both walking funny in the morning.

No. He couldn't afford to let his mind wander to things like that at a time like this. Lenalee deserved better then that. She deserved the whole package, everything her ridiculously romantic dreams could conjure up. The truth was that he really wasn't a romantic. He just wanted Lenalee to have what she longed for. He couldn't give her the relationship she deserved, but he could give her all the flare money could buy.

Tyki couldn't help but smirk at his plans while dinner came to pass. Guessing what she wanted was hardly an issue. She was a hopeless romantic in Paris. The night had practically been handed to him on a silver platter.

After dinner they went for a walk, Tyki making sure to take her to all the best night time views of the city. Then they just happened to stroll by the opera house, where Tyki conveniently had tickets to that night's performance.

There was just enough time afterward for an art gallery, thanks to Tyki's immaculate planning. Then a stroll through a quiet little park. Then dancing. And then, finally, they retired to her room where he had originally planned to leave as quickly as possible before anything could go wrong.

It was a well crafted plan. Tyki was actually quite proud of himself for coming up with it all. But now he was sitting on a couch in her room, his arm wrapped around her shoulders and, well, things were getting complicated in his head.

He didn't want to leave. The night had been so blindingly perfect.

Was this why people fell in love? This sense of... fullness? Everything just seemed like it was bigger. Not in any physical sense, but in the way that someone who had always felt small and existentially useless when faced with the vastness of everything has suddenly found themselves staring at the center of the universe. He felt as big as everything. He felt like the things he was doing finally carried weight.

God, she really had ruined him.

Nothing would be the same after this. He knew it before dancing, before the art exhibit, before the music or the walk or dinner. He knew it the moment she faltered at his smile. The moment he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her at the beginning of the night.

The word love was strange to even think about, but it flew off his tongue with ease when he spoke to her. He hadn't even realized he was calling her that until the night was coming to its close. Why hadn't Lenalee mentioned it?

It was frightening how easy it was to just be with her. How long had it been since he laughed like this? Since he talked to someone like this?

But the night was ending much too quickly for his taste. Reality was already beginning to seep into his thoughts.

Tyki thought back to his last meeting with the Earl. It had happened right after he learned Lenalee would be in Paris, and he had barely gotten off the train when the call came.

His marching orders were clear. The death sentences were sent out. He had been relieved to know that Lenalee wasn't on any of the hit lists, that is until he saw Allen Walker on his own.

All good things come to an end. Especially for Tyki.

"Tyki, what's wrong?"

He looked down at the girl in his arms. "Why would something be wrong?"

"You're quiet." That look of worry on her face was like a knife to his gut. How would she look at him once he fought Allen?

"I'm always quiet."

"Not with me you aren't. Not like this..."

She moved her hand toward him, like she wanted to do something. Uncertainty flashed in her eyes and she let her hand fall back to her side.

"What is it, love?" Tyki enveloped her hand in his. She was so small... so fragile...

"That's what I want to know," she shot back confidently.

Her eyes were piercing, and after a night of being so open with her it hurt to now shut her out.

"Can I come

"Now tell me what's wrong," she demanded, planting herself at his side and crossing her arms.

He wrapped his arms tighter around her and kissed her before she could have a chance to say anything else. He made sure that kiss was good and distracting, putting off their conversation as long as possible.

It took a little coaxing, but he knew what he was doing when it came to pleasure. She was melting in his arms by the time they broke apart.

"Didn't I say no more tricks?" She muttered half-heatedly. Her eyes will still closed and a faint smile painted her face.

"You're perfect. You know that?" Tyki ran the pad of his thumb across her cheek. "I don't deserve you." The statement slipped out before he thought too much about it.

Her eyes came open to express her discontent with him. "Tyki. What is this about?"

His throat constricted. He wanted to tell her the truth. He wanted to divulge everything in that moment, but he knew how it would end. They would argue. She would be furious. She might even try to stop him. That wouldn't end well.

And it certainly wasn't how he wanted his last moment with her to end. Still, ending this night with a little bit of distance would probably help him with what was to come. Killing Allen Walker would be easier if he didn't have Lenalee screaming at him in the back of his head. And if he had to cut ties with her, it would be easier if she was the one to do it.

"I'm not a good person, Lenalee." He watched her face carefully, waiting for her to pull away. "You know that, don't you? I'm selfish. And cruel. And sadistic." He let out a cold and hollow chuckle. "I've done things. Things that would make you never want to look at me again. Things that would make you sick. And I'm still doing them. I..."

Why wasn't she pulling away?

Her hand brushed against his cheek. He suddenly felt they were entirely too close right now. He wanted more of it, but he knew it needed to stop. He couldn't let himself get any deeper than this. But as his eyes closed he knew he was already as deep as someone like him could he. He had already given as much of himself as he would ever be able to give to another person.

"You're not a monster."

The words were so softly spoken he thought perhaps he had imagined them. That is until she said them again.

"You don't know that," Tyki said. God, she had no idea. That little voice in the back of his head was whispering again. It wanted to show her, to make her eat those words.

Was it possible to want to pull someone closer and push them away at the same time?

"Tyki. Tyki, look at me."

He forced his eyes open, struggling to keep his focus on her.

"You're not a horrible person. You've spent years walking around in darkness. People can't do that without some of it rubbing off on them. And don't look at me like I'm some innocent little girl who doesn't know what she's talking about. I've seen enough darkness to know what people can do in it. The Order isn't as holy as they claim to be.

"But you're more than the horrible things you do, Tyki. If you had told me two months ago that I would be saying this, I would think you were crazy. I thought anyone who worked for the Earl had to be a monster. But you're more than I ever wanted to allow. You're a brother, and an uncle, a friend. You're gentle when you want to be, and you can make anything a joke. You face everything with such a brave look, but inside you're just as scared and lost as the rest of us."

Was this supposed to be helpful?

"What I mean to say is..." her cheeks turned just a bit pink, and Tyki decided he liked the look of it. "You've been a wonderful surprise. I never thought I'd meet someone who was so... you're just..." She let out a small groan of frustration, and Tyki had to fight against the urge to chuckle. "Tyki. You're just Tyki. And I rather like that about you."

Any semblance of humor that had slipped into the conversation was gone. He couldn't look away. He couldn't move. He could speak. God, he couldn't even think.

"Tyki?"

Her hand on his cheek again broke him from the stupor. "That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," he muttered.

A frown was firmly in place on her recklessly gorgeous face. "You deserve better than what you've been given."

Tyki moved on instinct, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close to his chest. He shook slightly when she didn't hesitate to hug him back.

"Thank you," he whispered.

She didn't say anything. She didn't need to. They sat in each other's arms for what felt like forever. Tyki ignored reality for just a few more minutes and let himself pretend that they really could last forever. He let himself imagine a future where he did everything right and she never left his side again. He imagined a wife who would call him out on his crap but still love him no matter what he did.

"Tyki..."

His heart sank a little as she pulled away just enough to look him in the eye.

"I know I probably shouldn't ask this... it's selfish of me, because I would never consider doing it myself... but... would you... would you ever leave? For me? So we could..."

Tyki brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face. "Love, you have no idea how much I wish I could. But I can't. They're my family. And where would I go? You really think the Order would welcome me in with open arms?"

He didn't like how quickly she understood. He didn't like that even though she was supposed to be on the good side of this war she had likely seen just as many atrocities as he had. Everything thing inside him wanted to hide her away from the world and anything that might hurt her.

But he couldn't. He wasn't capable of it, and even if he was she would never let him. It took him awhile to realize that she actually wanted to be in this fight. She would give anything to be on the front lines, protecting the people close to her.

Would she do the same for him? Would she try to protect him?

He decided he didn't want to find out. When the time comes to go after Allen, he would have to make sure Lenalee wasn't there. She just might be able to convince him not to go through with it.

"I just wish this weren't so..." her words got cut off by the threat of tears in her eyes.

Tyki wiped at the single one that fell. "I never thought you'd actually write back, you know."

She shook her head. "Neither did I."

"Lenalee?"

"Yes?"

"I just want you to know... I... I've fallen in love with you."

"Tyki..."

"I knew it would happen," he muttered almost despondently. "I knew that first night."

"You told me," Lenalee noted.

"I did?"

She chuckled a little. "It was while you were drunk. I'm not surprised you don't remember."

Tyki slicked his hair back, shaking his head. "Not my finest hour..."

Her light hearted giggle started that ridiculous warmth in his chest again.

"Tyki," she said after a moment. "I think I lo-"

Before she could finish Tyki pressed his lips hard against hers, a silent and desperate plea. He couldn't let her finish that sentence. Not when he was about to betray that love. Not when he knew her mind would change. This was a night for no regrets. And he would certainly regret that.

That kiss went on far longer than it should have. Tyki felt all his blood rushing to places it had no business being in when Lenalee's hands went to his hair. Everything about her was soft, yet even her kisses held the same kind of fierceness she held in her eyes.

His hands wandered lower down her back. He felt the sliver of bare skin that showed between her shirt and skirt. That incredibly short skirt. God, he had been attracted to her when she was the perfect vision of social class, but this... What right did an exorcist have to wear something so enticing?

It was for battle, she had told him. Yeah right. Whoever designed that outfit was a pervert, and everyone knew it.

Still, he really couldn't complain, could he?

No. This was not how he planned for the night to end.

But she wasn't pushing him away. One of his hands crept slightly up her back underneath her shirt while the other held on to her inner thigh. When he expected her to stop things, she gave a content hum instead.

His lips trailed away from her mouth and moved to her neck. When he got to the spot just below her ear she threw her head back with what almost sounded like a gasp. He smiled against her skin before giving the spot ample attention.

"Tyki." It wasn't a command to stop. It was airy and filled with longing, and good lord it did too many things to him.

No. No, no, no. This couldn't happen. He couldn't hurt her like this. He couldn't taint her.

He stopped what he was doing just as quickly as he started. For once in his life, he was going to do the right thing. Just this once. He was going to let her go. She was young. Any sort of heartbreak he was going to put her through would fade.

The dazed and longing look on her face snapped into shock at her own actions. Tyki let a smirk fall naturally onto his face.

"I think you should be getting to bed, Love," he said. He picked up her hand and placed a tender kiss to it. "Thank you for the perfect night."

He moved off the couch, not looking back at her.

"Wait," she called out to him, still sounding like she was in shock. "The innocence."

Tyki couldn't help but chuckle again. "It's on the desk," he told her. "Been there all day. Good night, love."

As he closed the door behind him his carefully constructed facade crumbled to pieces. He walked down the hallway and out into the night, unable to pretend he hadn't been effected by her.

He loved her. And now he was going to lose her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Well hello again everyone. Welcome back to the story. I actually wrote this chapter three different times, then threw it all out and started over again. So, I've decided to stop the vicious cycle and just post my most recent version of the chapter. Here it is. As always, let me know what you think. I've gotten two reviews so far, and I threw a little party in my head each time it happened. If you want to be responsibly for an awesome party, you should give me a review ;)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray-Man**

Lenalee had spent the night pacing around her room in an incoherent panic. Her mind was spinning and filled to the brim with thoughts of what had happened on her date with Tyki. _Date!_ She couldn't believe the word was there, and that she was using it. She had gone on a date. She had dinner and music and wine and... and a little something else at the end that she really didn't want to think about.

But how could she ignore it? She may act like an adult, but deep down she was still just a teenager and that came with certain overwhelming emotions. And desires. She knew exactly what was happening when he was kissing her. She knew exactly what it all meant and where things would have gone if he had let them. She was going to let it happen. She wanted it to happen.

Since when did Tyki become the morally correct one?!

Lenalee groaned, throwing herself onto her bed for the hundredth time since Tyki left. She wanted to sleep, but morning had already come. She would have to leave soon, and no amount of pacing would ever really clarify what happened the night before.

"I've gone insane," she said to the ceiling. "I've fallen in love with that ridiculous man..."

Despite the utter terror such a realization caused, it also came with a warm, full feeling inside her chest. She glanced at the flowers he had left on her desk for her, and the innocence still sitting next to it. Giddy. She felt giddy, and she really didn't have it in her to deny herself that emotion.

"I'm in love," she muttered to herself a second time. Outside the sun was rising, casting yellow and orange streaks across the pale morning sky.

Her eyes flitted from the window to the innocence on her desk. Perhaps it was foolish of her, but she couldn't help but hope for the future. Tyki had left the innocence. Wasn't that a statement? Couldn't it be possible, even if it not today, that one day, just maybe, he would leave the Earl? If he was willing to leave behind the very thing they were at war over, wasn't there reason to hope?

A light knock rapped against the door, and Lenalee's heart was sent into a craze. Had he come back? Would he see her off to the train station?

"Miss Lenalee?"

Her disappointment rolled over her like a tidal wave. Of course Tyki hadn't come back.

Lenalee forced a kind smile on her face as she went to greet Arthur at the door. They exchanged the usual pleasantries, heading to sit down on the couch. Lenalee couldn't glance at the thing without remembering Tyki's hands on her, so she opted for sitting on the edge of her bed.

"You... you didn't tell anyone about yesterday, did you?" Lenalee asked, lacking the sleep it would have taken to be subtle.

"Of course not! But, uh-" Arthur scratched the back of his head nervously. "Did you get the innocence back?"

Lenalee flashed him a smile, pointing to the innocence that rested in plain sight. A sigh of relief came from both of them.

"Thank the Lord," Arthur muttered. "Now, who was that fellow last night?" He stared at her with eyes that seemed to understand far more than they were meant to. Just how honest could she be with him before he figured everything out?

"His brother is an ally of the Order," she said. It was true. Sort of. Sheryl was pretending to be a benefactor.

"That doesn't answer my question," Arthur insisted.

"It's- it's complicated," she tried. "Look, if my brother finds out about Ty- I mean- my date- I mean-" She groaned miserably and covered her face. "Please don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Of course, Lenalee," Arthur said with sincerity. "I don't think you understand just how much you helped me. Look, if you two ever need help with anything in the future, then I'd be happy to offer it."

"Okay..." Lenalee narrowed her eyes at him. Now that the hard part was over with, she had something else she wanted to talk about with this strange man. "You- you don't act like a priest."

The man chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck again. "It's... complicated?"

Lenalee leaned in, ready to hear more. She could tell this was going to be a good story.

Arthur shook his head, still looking reluctant to share. "I'm not actually Arthur Green."

"Okay?" Lenalee rested her chin in her hands.

"Alright, so this just stays between us. I'm only telling you because I'm in on your secret and if you tell anyone, I'll spill your secret too. Okay?" Lenalee nodded quickly. "Okay. So I'm from America. Back home I wasn't exactly a good person. I came to Europe because I was a wanted criminal, and I was facing a lifetime in jail for the things I had done. I decided I wanted a fresh start, so I was going to settled down in a small town and be a better person.

"Well, while I was traveling I ran into the real Arthur Green. We were heading the same direction, so we started talking as we went. Days passed, and pretty soon we had shared our entire life stories. Then we got attacked on the road. Arthur died saving my life. Before he passed, he told me to take his place. He was traveling to a church where no one knew him, and they didn't know what he looked like. He said it would the perfect place for me to redeem myself. And, well... I did it."

Silence rested comfortably in the room while Lenalee sat in awe of the story. "And no one's ever figured you out?"

"Not yet, at least. Its only been a few months, and I think they're starting to get suspicious. That's why I was so nervous when the innocence vanished."

Lenalee shook her head. "I can't believe you've managed to just completely change your life..." Could it really be possible? Her thoughts wandered back to Tyki. If Arthur could do it... then so could Tyki. She couldn't help the hopeful smile that graced her lips as she tried to wrap her mind around the idea. The future was suddenly coming together in her head, a future she knew was dangerous to believe in. It was just an idea. A day dream. She knew better than to believe in it, but she wanted it to be true. She wanted Tyki by her side.

"Lenalee." Arthur drew her attention back. He seemed somber know, like he was about to give her bad news. "I'm not a smart man. Not really. But I've picked up a few pieces of wisdom in my time with the church, and I've also picked up on some things they wouldn't want me to know. I'm fairly certain I can guess as to who your date was, and why you're so intent on keeping him a secret."

Lenalee's mouth was already half open, ready to sway him from wherever his speech was going, but he placed a hand in the air to stop her.

"Take it from someone who knows, Lenalee. Fire can be both good and bad. When its controlled, it keeps you warm and cooks your food. If you can't control it though, it will not hesitate to destroy everything it can touch, including you."

She took the message to heart, feeling it weigh down her lighthearted hope of a better future. "How can you tell the difference, though?" she muttered, fighting the urge to cry.

"That's what makes it so dangerous." Arthur stood up and moved to the door. "Like I said, if you two ever need anything I'm happy to help. Goodbye, Lenalee. And good luck."

He was gone before she could say anything to keep him talking. His advice wasn't helpful in the slightest. It filled her with trepidation and anxiety about what to do next.

How many people were going to find out about Tyki before the fire got out of control? Or had it been out of her control this entire time?

Her chest grew unpleasantly tight, making breathing nearly impossible. Everything around her felt smaller, or she felt larger. She was breathing, but there didn't seem to be enough oxygen in the room. She was in love. She was in love with Tyki, and everything was going to burn.

Tyki was moping. He knew it, and he didn't even care. The list of exorcists he had been given to take out had dwindled down to one name. Allen Walker. Now Road was waving the boy right in his face, like she didn't care that it would mean the end of his relationship with Lenalee. Maybe she really didn't get it. For all her knowledge and experience, Road really didn't grasp the depth of human emotions. She understood things like pain and suffering to the point that it was an art form for her, but she was detached from other, more sensitive things.

The sun glared down at the world outside Tyki's bedroom window. He was staying at Sheryl's place while he pouted about the state of his love life. Road was in the process of dragging Allen across the grounds, playing some sort of game that Tyki had yet to understand. The boy looked happy. In fact, the smile on his face didn't seem right to Tyki. The poor fool actually looked like he was falling for Road.

"You almost have worse luck than me, Cheating Boy," Tyki grumbled as he downed another glass of scotch. He hadn't stopped drinking since he arrived. Three weeks had passed since he last saw Lenalee. Three weeks, and he had to deal with Road kidnapping her little crush every other day for who knows what sort of kinky, disturbing games. For kids, both of them seemed a little too experienced.

A curt knock hit his door but he didn't bother turning around. He was too busy watching Allen make out with Road. "Come in, Sheryl," he drawled before pouring himself another glass and downing it before Sheryl could even open the door.

"Why are you still here?" Sheryl asked. He joined Tyki by the window, letting out a sound of disapproval as his eyes caught sight of the couple down bellow. "Can you please just kill the boy so I don't have to watch this monstrosity?"

Tyki scoffed. He was too drunk to handle this situation with any of his usual tact. "She's going to hate me," he slurred.

"Road is perfectly aware that he's going to die-"

"Not her!" Tyki slammed his glass down on the window sill. "Lenalee..."

"Tyki." Sheryl placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, his face turning down into an uncharacteristic frown. "You knew-"

"The hell I knew!" Tyki pushed away from the window and searched for anything containing alcohol in the room. He spotted a half-finished bottle of brandy on the coffee table. "I didn't know, Sheryl. I didn't know this was what it would feel like. All the time." He collapsed into the couch, bringing the bottle to his lips without pouring a glass. Love was the worst emotion in the world right now.

"You're making a disgrace of yourself, brother," Sheryl chastised. Tyki knew the man was trying to return to normal conversation, trying to stick with what they had grown comfortable with over the years.

"Do you love your wife, Sheryl?" Tyki asked instead.

"Of course I do!" Sheryl opened his mouth, ready to rave about his adorable family act.

"Not the idea of it," Tyki growled. He felt the urge to throw the bottle at his brother, but knew better than to act on it. "Do you love _her_. The person. The woman you wake up to every morning, who has devoted her life to you without even knowing what you really are. Do you love her?"

"Tyki, you're being ridiculous."

"I'm being serious." Tyki made eye contact, hoping that his point was being made. He wanted an answer. He didn't really know where he was going with the conversation, but he desperately needed that answer.

"I-" Sheryl opened and closed his mouth a few times before he finally sat down across from Tyki. "I don't even really know her, Tyki. We got married because it was the thing to do. People like you and me... we can't afford to fall in love."

"But I did it anyway," Tyki muttered.

Sheryl reached over, yanking the brandy from Tyki's hand. He slammed it down on the coffee table. "Quit your pouting, and get over this little infatuation. You don't love her. You've only know her for a few months, and even then you've mostly just written letters. She doesn't know you and you don't know her. You couldn't possibly-"

"And how would you know?" Tyki glared at his brother with every ounce of hatred her possessed. "Everything about you is fake, Sheryl. How can you possibly expect to know what love looks like? Do you even love me anymore? Sometimes I wonder. You treat me like another idea, something you can play with and manipulate just like everything else. We use to be brothers. Do you remember that? Do you remember when we actually gave a fuck about each other?"

"You're clearly too inebriated to carry a civil conversation," Sheryl said, a false look of calm about him. Tyki could still see the rage in his brother's eyes. "I'll ask you to leave my home until you've learned to act like an adult for once. And this time you're not stealing any of my alcohol." He swiped the brandy into his hand before stalking out the door.

Tyki didn't even flinch when the door slammed shut. He knew he would regret this conversation eventually, but right now he was just angry. Angry at his brother for not understanding. Angry at himself for the decisions he'd made. Angry at the Earl for forcing him to make those decisions. But most of all, angry at a God he didn't quite believe in. If such a thing existed, then the deity had to be more twisted than the Earl.

Back outside Allen and Road where nowhere to be seen. Tyki ran a hand through his hair, trying to get back some sense of himself in the movement. It didn't help. He staggered toward the exit. Sheryl had been serious when he said to leave, and Tyki was not one to push his luck enough to stay. They hadn't argued like that since... well, Tyki wasn't quite sure they had ever held a truly serious conversation.

None of that mattered, though. It was time to act. Tyki knew he couldn't put his job off any longer. Allen Walker was going to die, and Lenalee would hate him forever.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello there party people. I'm so sorry for letting this story sit so long! I have the attention span of an infant. Thanks for everyone who has followed, reviewed, and messaged me. It was all very much appreciated (and I'm in the process of replying and fixing some of the suggested edits).**

 **This chapter is about an eighth of what it was going to be, but since I've kept you all waiting so long I've decided to toss this out here with the promise of more coming as soon as possible. Chapters from here on out may be shorter like this one, just so I stop getting distracted. We are a little over half way finished with the story, so hang in there folks.**

 **One last thing- this chapter takes place right after Allen tries to save Suman from being a fallen one (just thought I'd make that clear in case anyone was confused).**

Tyki had been watching the boy. Waiting. He had begun to think there would never be an opportunity to do his job without Lenalee being present, but his mind refused to run through that scenario. He was a patient man when it was in his best interest. He would wait as long as he could for the right moment to strike.

That's when he got lucky.

Allen Walker was foolish. Tyki had already known that. But foolish enough to attempt saving a fallen one? The boy was determined, Tyki had to admit. This time, determination wasn't going to get him anywhere.

Tyki stepped into the small clearing where Allen was sprawled across the ground. The fallen exorcist was dead, and the boy looked ready to follow suit. Blood trickled out of Allen's wounds. His chest would rise and fall with sharp heaves as he tried to feed his lungs. There would be no fight, and best of all no Lenalee.

"Hello, cheating boy." Tyki hated the darkness in his voice, but it was time for him to separate himself from any connection he had established with the exorcists. It was time to remember which side of this war he was on.

"T-Tyki..." Allen gave a weak, sad little smile in greeting. There was a brief look of hope in the boy's face. Their eyes met, and the smile faded. "Don't do this."

Tyki began to laugh. He cringed internally as he let the Noah half of him have a little more control. It wouldn't do to begin a sentimental conversation with the boy. It was time for a clean break. "You've disappointed me, Allen. I was expecting a fight when I came for your innocence."

"This will crush her." Allen's eyes pierced Tyki's.

Tyki stomped down on Allen's left arm, smiling as the boy cried out in pain. "I'm pretty sure it will crush you, too." He bent down to take hold of Allen's innocence. Such a powerful weapon, in such a fragile form. All he had to do was make a fist with his hand around it and it would be destroyed.

Allen's eyes silently pleaded for salvation, which only made it easier for Tyki to hate him. Didn't the boy know that he didn't have a choice?

"You said you wouldn't hurt her." Allen's voice came out harsh and angry, tears streaming out of the boy's eyes. Tyki tried to remember what pain like that must have felt like, but it was just a distant memory in that moment.

"I said I didn't want to hurt her," Tyki corrected. "But we always knew I would have to."

One twitch of his fingers was all it took for the deed to be done. Everything after that was easy.


End file.
